


Light A Fire

by Kahnah



Series: King & Lionheart [2]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, PTSD, Sequel, breath of the wild AU, the slowest of burns, to some degree I guess, what is this? am I writing romance? Can't be, with great fanart!, zelda au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-22 10:47:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14307024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kahnah/pseuds/Kahnah
Summary: A hundred years.For Michael it had been a blink of an eye, a deep sleep after a tiring fight. For everyone else it had been a battle of survival, of rebuilding, of hoping and living with the looming fear of Calamity Ganon. Of the ruins of a castle in the heart of the kingdom, poisoned with a dark power and protected by merciless guardians that would kill anyone on sight.There were rumors about a Prince trapped inside there on his own accord. Doing everything to keep the Calamity confined right there.--“May I ask… do you really remember me?”





	Light A Fire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fakeahcrevv](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fakeahcrevv/gifts).



> For Sarah, who also did the amazing art!
> 
> \- spoilers for the ending of Breath of the Wild -

Light A Fire

 

A hundred years.

For Michael it had been a blink of an eye, a deep sleep after a tiring fight. For everyone else it had been a battle of survival, of rebuilding, of hoping and living with the looming fear of Calamity Ganon.

Of the ruins of a castle in the heart of the kingdom, poisoned with a dark power and protected by merciless guardians that would kill anyone on sight.

There were rumors about a Prince trapped inside there on his own accord. Doing everything to keep the Calamity confined right there.

But even rumors faded over time, turning into whispers and old legends. Now they were on the verge of getting forgotten, just old stories to tell children as a warning to stay away from Hyrule Field.

Michael knew that it was true, that rarely he could feel the Prince, could feel _Ray_ close, could hear his voice. Static and distant as he called out, growing weaker and rarer with each passing week.

_“You are the light. Our light that may shine upon Hyrule once again.”_

It was a long way until then. His body stiff and scarred and weak from the long sleep, his master sword and tunic gone. No way that he could run into Hyrule Castle to get to Ray, not like this, so he had started to travel in hopes of familiar faces, of help and answers.

_“Try… Try to remember.”_

He did. Bits and pieces that cut like glass. Only serving to remind him of what he had lost.

The villages he had passed by on his journeys with Ray, now ruins or simply gone.

Gavin and Ryan, nothing more than stories about brave warriors who gave their life during the fall of Hyrule, leaving only behind their Divine Beasts. The Divine Beasts that had trapped them and killed them inside, infested by phantoms sent by Ganon especially to slay the Champions.

Michael went to each, slaying the blight and letting the Divine Beasts finally rest, but more importantly freeing their souls. Specterlike ghosts without physical form just like the King had been, but voices and faces that seemed just familiar enough.

There on the edge of his memories where he could nearly reach them.

_“Your job is far from finished, you know? The Prince has been waiting an awful long time.”_

He knew.

_“Both you and the Prince… I know you have suffered much regarding what happened to us Champions. But this is how things had to happen - no one need to carry blame. So please, make it clear so he understands that.”_

He wondered if Ryan knew how much those words meant after all, even when he was just a shadow in Michael’s mind, something he couldn’t yet grasp after his long sleep.

_“Tell Ray to shed any worries. And let him know… I couldn’t be more proud of him.”_

He would make sure to deliver that message.

Up on Death Mountain it was maybe worse or better, it was a fine line. Jeremy’s descendants gathering around him, no blame from any, even though it should have been Michael’s job to slay the beast. But no matter the great losses, all that was left was a fierce pride for their fallen Champion, a burning spirit that wouldn’t go down and that reminded him so much of Jeremy himself, that it was nearly cathartic.

And then Jeremy himself, his spirit finally free once Michael slayed the phantom. No grudge there, a smile and a joke on his lips as if all was good.

_“I feel like I should apologize. I was doing all I could to protect Hyrule when that thing got the best of me.”_

As if it was Jeremy’s fault. As if it was anyone’s fault but Michael’s own.

The Zoras were worse because they recognized him. With their long lives a hundred years weren’t an eternity and maybe because of that Michael waited the longest to go there. It was a mistake because by then he remembered more, remembered Jack and his heart sank because of the anger that greeted him.

A welcome blame from the Zoras for not protecting their kind Prince, for getting Jack trapped in his Divine Beast.

He met Jack’s sister who he remembered as barely more than a toddler, but was just as kind, asking a dozen questions about her big brother. No blame from her and no blame from Jack’s father.

Not even from Jack himself, his spirit waiting in Vah Ruta with a sad smile.

_“Promise me that you will not hesitate to call upon my power if you ever find yourself in need. Knowing that will let my spirit rest in peace. Save him, Michael. Save Prince Ray.”_

He would.

He had promised after all.

And now here he stood; on the field before the destroyed castle where a hundred years ago, he had refused to accept that they had lost.

Ray hadn’t. Ray had understood how dire the situation was before he had, and the look on his face was one of the pictures that was still burned oh so clearly in Michael’s mind.

_“I fear Hylia has forsaken us.”_

Not anymore.

Michael was breathing heavily but refused to go down. His body was in agony, his muscles shaking with the effort to stand. There were bruises blossoming all over his skin from being thrown around like a toy, the immense strength of the Calamity a shock even after all his preparation. It was only thanks to Jeremy’s gift that he was still in one piece, his shield saving him when his body dared to give out.

Jack’s grace, enveloping him like an embrace and healing his deadly wounds after a misstep, after he had grown tired of infiltrated this castle that had been Ray’s home once and was now his prison.

Ryan’s strength, allowing him to bring the Master Sword down over and over again, sparking with lightning and thunder. Screaming at him to get up even as the Calamity just wouldn’t go down, wouldn’t weaken or falter under his tirade of attacks.

_“Michael! Get up! Michael, please… You’re the only one I have left!”_

But now the beast was struggling to stay up. They had long since left the confinement of the castle as it started to collapse around them. The structure brittle and old by now, barely anything left of the proud castle of his childhood.

The strikes of the Divine Beasts had hit hard, finally breaking through the Calamity’s defense just like they were supposed to.

A hundred years ago.

Now it was finally time and he reached up to sheath his sword. The chime was loud and wonderful in his head, roaring with power from finally being where he was supposed to be, but it’s work was done.

Instead he unhooked the bow of light, forged by the Goddess herself and given to him by Ray in this precious moment before their connection was lost.

But Ray was there, Michael could see his glow coming from within the Beast where he was fighting his own fight.

He was calling for him, over and over again. Michael didn’t have to hear him to know that and for the first time in a hundred years they were nearly close enough.

Close enough to hear each other with their ears, not their minds. Close enough to touch.

Undisturbed by this distance and time and calamity.

He lifted the bow, no need for an arrow because he would shoot light, would shoot Hylia’s power and would finish what they had started so long ago.

With Gavin’s aim and his agility, he wouldn’t miss, and he could feel his hands taking aim without his own accord. As if Gavin was helping him, as if Ray was right by his side, correcting his stance patiently.

Ray had been good with the bow, Michael had only see him use this weapon briefly, but it was true. This bow was supposed to be Ray’s weapon but it had been gifted to him.

The beast roared at him, angry and furious to the bone, but Michael had grown numb to the noise. In the beginning, yes, it had nearly frozen him, but over the course of their fight it had grown weaker and there had been a hint of fear in it.

Now it didn’t stop it from letting go of the string of light and watching as the arrow arced beautifully and hit true.

The beast roared, now in pain as a flash of light burst from within it.

Ray, Michael thought, and lowered the bow.

Ray.

The Prince was glowing from above, bright like the sun and a stark contrast to the dead purple sky.

He was warm; he felt as warm as Michael remembered, and it settled in his sore muscles. He was nearly blinded just looking up to him, but not enough to avert his eyes as Ray slowly reached the ground. His hair was waving, the same white robe as a hundred years ago was as well. Still muddied and ripped apart from their headless flight so, so long ago.

It was nearly like nothing had happened, like they could’ve just jumped to this moment right here and forget all this pain in between.

This was what was suppose to happen after all.

The hero, weakening the beast and protecting the High Priest until it was time to end it.

And it was time now, they all could tell.

It was in the way as the Beast collapsed towards Ray’s feet, huge like a mountain and making the earth beneath shake.

Neither of them flinched, not even when it ripped open it’s maw to screech loud enough to make trees collapse.

A desperate attempt to turn a game around that was already over. A game that had gone on way too long with a price that wasn’t worth paying.

Ray’s glow intensified, tearing the cloud apart and coming from him in pulses.

Ganon tried to flee. Flee like the coward it truly was, giving up its physical form to become a haze, a fog again that did nothing more than bring sickness and ruin.

It launched itself into the air before coming back down in a last, desperate attempt to hurt, to devour Ray whole.

A burst of light repelled it easily and now Ray finally moved. Until then he had stood there, immobile and with hands clasped together like one of Hylia’s statues.

But he lifted his arm now, his hand outstretched, and Michael could see him again, back in that darkest night.

Back when they had been surrounded by guardians and all hope had seemed lost. Ray had done the same, had thrown himself in front of Michael to take the attack and his scream was still stuck in Michael’s head, echoing there over and over again.

Back then the light had saved them and it did now as well. It ripped Ganon apart, kept it trapped inside where it was banished and buried until the next cycle.

Not their problem anymore.

The bow of light disappeared from Michael’s hand and in the back of his head the sword stopped singing. Both not needed anymore, also to rest for another eternity, and he hadn’t even realized, but he was kneeling on the ground. There was just no strength left in his legs or his body and he was sitting there, trying to catch his breath, and when he let his head fall back, he watched the purple clouds disappear.

Behind them were blue sky and sunlight and everything nice.

It nearly made him cry.

Still it wasn’t bright enough to overshadow Ray. Ray who only slowly let his hand fall back down now that his destiny was fulfilled, now that Ganon’s defeat was all said and done.

So anticlimactic in the end, such a waste of fear and worry against the raw power of the Goddess.

And still, how much pain and suffering it had brought.

But over. Finally it was all over.

Closing his eyes, Michael let his head hang for a moment and just breathed. For a moment that was all he could do, and it felt like the first time since forever, maybe since pulling out the Master Sword, not knowing what it would mean in the end.

And even now there was no time for that and he forced himself to stand again.

A few yards away stood Ray, his back turned to him but here.

After a hundred years, after miles and miles they were back together again.

Michael’s feet moved towards him on his own accord, still endlessly drawn to him, and even though he opened his mouth nothing came out.

No matter how often he had imagined this moment, how he had yearned and wished for this in all those lonely nights where he felt like he was the last person alive in this world… he still didn’t know what to say.

Ray must have heard him because his head moved slightly but he didn’t turn. There were sparks of light still in his hair, jumping between his fingers but it was fading. It looked like stars, traveling back to their rightful places before fading as always in the bright sun.

“I’ve been keeping watch over you all this time…”

Michael stopped in his tracks, frozen in space. It was Ray’s voice, so close that he could reach out and touch him. Not echoing through his head, not disturbed by Ganon’s power and distance and time.

Just Ray.

“I’ve witnessed your struggle to return to us as well as your trials in battle.”

He knew that. It was one of the things that had kept him going through this all because no matter how many days and weeks he would go without a sign… there was always the knowledge that a part of him did know that Ray was still there.

Even when he couldn’t hear the other’s voice anymore or see glimpses of him in his dreams - Ray was in his heart and on his mind. In every memory that came to him, he seemed to be close.

A hand on his arm, the crinkle of his eyes on this rare occasions when he laughed. He was in the smell of old books, and next to him whenever Michael discovered new wonders.

Their bond, so fragile after he had woken up, had grown stronger with each step he had taken towards the Prince.

“I always though-” Ray stopped himself, shaking his head, “no, I always _believed_ that you would find a way to defeat Ganon. I never lost faith in you over these many years.”

Did Ray even know how much that meant to him? Because Michael had lost faith on more occasions than one.

But then Ray finally turned towards him and he couldn’t be bother to dwell on that any longer. Because it truly was Ray, fading light in his eyes but just the same as before.

“Thank you, Michael, the hero of Hyrule.”

Michael opened his mouth, knew that Ray expected an answer, but again nothing came out. On his journey he had grown quieter, he knew that himself. He had locked the words away with each new truth he learned, with each new person he met who had lost because he hadn’t be strong enough back then. Each city that was barely more than ruins and with every memory of a person who had counted on him and that he hadn’t saved.

Even now when after a hundred years he stood in front of Ray his words were locked away. Finally face to face with the Prince again and he felt like back when he had first met him.

Intimidated by this burden that Ray carried so unwillingly and enraptured by his grace. Not worthy of sharing the same space as him, even as Ray faltered and wrung his hands around each other.

Eyes big and pleading.

“May I ask… do you really remember me?”

So that was what the Prince feared, being faced with a stranger. That after a hundred years of waiting and watching Michael was nothing more than a puppet being pulled by the strings of destiny.

“I do,” Michael finally brought out, voice thin with underuse. “I do remember you, Ray.”

It was only half a lie. His memories were like a cracked mirror. Some were clear as day, some fractured and wouldn’t quite fit together anymore. Others simply gone, broken away and barely more than fine dust on the ground.

The brush of something soft against his face, a melody, a scent, a taste. Nothing he could place or truly picture but still there.

Ray’s nervousness broke into a smile and Michael was sure his heart was going to burst just looking at him.

“I’m glad… I’m so glad to hear that, Michael.”

Just like that his spell was broken and Michael could move again. It had been too long, too long apart from his other side that he couldn’t take it anymore.

He stepped forward, and up close he could see unshed tears in Ray’s eyes. But the Prince looked up to him, nearly expecting him to come close, and so Michael did.

He reached out, ready to pull Ray in, just to hold him and make sure it was still him, still in one piece, but the moment he touched Ray, the other flinched back.

Michael froze again and Ray actually took a step back, eyes big in fear as his hand came up to cover where Michael had brushed against him.

“Ray?” he asked, confused because the Prince was starting to shake as he worked through whatever had just happened.

It took a moment too long until Michael understood and it saddened him to no end.

A hundred years.

A hundred years alone fighting with the calamity.

A hundred years with no contact, only the brief times he could connect with Michael that had been too short for any real words.

A hundred years without a touch.

It had to be overwhelming, and Michael had to swallow himself to not burst into tears.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry this happened. It shouldn’t have. I should have been stronger. Back then we should have faced Ganon together, not only you.”

Ray gave a short shake of his head, but it didn‘t ease his shaking.

“No,“ he whispered, his brows pulled in concentration. “It wasn‘t your fault. It was just... just things not aligning the right way.“

“That‘s a nice way of seeing this all,“ Michael admitted. “Ryan said something similar like that to me. That maybe things had to be like this.“

That made Ray smile shyly.

“I guess that means it‘s true, after all Ryan hated being wrong.“

Taking a deep breath, Ray rubbed the spot on his arm before looking up to Michael.

“I‘m sorry. I had no reason to react like this. It was just like a shock because it‘s you. It has been so long and it feels like electricity, like a spark going through me. It‘s the same with the wind on my skin or this grass against my legs. It makes me feel like I‘m me again.“

“You are,“ Michael whispered and Ray nodded.

“Can I... Can I try?“

“Of course,“ Michael agreed without truly knowing what Ray meant, but like this he was sure he would agree to everything that the other wanted from him.

He watched attentively as Ray reached out and didn‘t quite dare to breath on his own as fingers brushed against his. Warm and smooth and familiar, even after a hundred years of fighting.

Again Ray pulled back, rubbing his fingers together, but he wasn‘t surprised by it anymore. No, it looked more like an experiment, and Ray was eager to see it through.

Michael gladly let him. With nothing to do besides standing still he had all the time in the world to observe the other‘s every move.

How concentrated Ray was, how he still seemed to glow from within even though Hylia‘s light had passed by now.

How determinedly he raised his hand again.

There were goosebumps breaking over Michael‘s arm at Ray‘s featherlight touch, moving up to his shoulders. The Prince let his hand rest there with closed eyes, letting the feeling flow through him.

Michael could feel it as well, their bond soaring from finally being close again.

“It‘s you,“ Ray whispered and pushed against his shoulder as if he expected to phase right through. “It‘s really you. Sometimes Ganon made me believe that you were in there with me, that you had lost against its malice, and I was nearly glad.

I was weak, but that eternal struggle would have been bearable with you by my side.“

Michael encircled the other‘s wrist gently and Ray‘s eyes flew open, but this time he didn‘t pull back.

“Sometimes Ganon would make me want to believe that you had failed, died somewhere along the way by the obstacles it threw at you. Other times I saw the Shrine of Resurrection, collapsing on top of you before you woke. You would have been trapped in there forever, never alive and never dead.“

How horrid. A terribly rage wracked through Michael but he didn‘t react, didn‘t even tighten his hand. Nothing that could scare Ray, who still looked up to him as if he was finally awake, escaped from a long nightmare.

“I didn‘t believe it,“ Ray told him. “Cheap tricks to try and get me to break, to betray my beliefs, but it wouldn‘t work. No matter how much time would pass, I knew you‘d come for me.“

Ray moved carefully close, testing if Michael would pull back but he would never. So Ray laid his head against Michael‘s chest and let their hands slip from his shoulder until they could easily entwine.

“You‘re alive,“ Ray whispered as he closed his eyes, listening intently and suddenly Michael was well aware of each of his own heartbeats. “It‘s you and you‘re here. You truly are.“

There was a lump in his throat, heavy, and no matter how hard he swallowed, it wouldn‘t pass. So instead he wrapped his free arm around the Prince, let it lie there softly to not overwhelm him yet, and still Ray shivered.

It made dark hair tickle Michael‘s chin, and he leaned his head against Ray‘s, breathing.

The Prince smelled like the horrible rain from a hundred years ago, like forest and mud and earth. Just like on that dark night where they had sat like this in the dirt.

Just two kids out in the cold storm, crying because they began to grasp what they had lost.

“I missed you,“ Michael whispered and hoped he could communicate just a fraction of his emotions. How it had torn him apart traveling this way alone that had been meant for both of them. How it had hurt to find part and pieces of memories from Ray, screaming inside to remember because it was so important.

Of following the Prince‘ steps down his own dark road and how scared Ray must have been all alone out there in the dark and cold.

How Ray had taken the Master Sword to the lost woods, where he knew only Michael would be able to find it.

How Ray had left him with hints and messages, showing him the way.

The Sheikah Slate, Impa and his old tunic. The sword.

Putting all his trust in Michael as he went to face the Beast alone, to protect what was left of his kingdom.

“I missed you too,“ Ray murmured, and Michael pulled him closer, wishing things were different.

If only they could change the past, if he hadn‘t been wounded back then, if Ray had found his powers earlier...

But he was oh so tired of beating himself up over could-have-beens and what if‘s.

Things had happened how they had happened and there was no way to go back.

The Beast was banished and they were alive. Hyrule wasn‘t completely destroyed and had learned to heal over the past years.

The future was only beginning.

 

* * *

 

Ray fell asleep the moment he closed his eyes and for a second there was panic bubbling in Michael‘s chest. In his overworked mind it was Ray‘s time to sleep for a hundred years now.

Of course that wasn‘t the case, and still he had to stop himself more than once to wake Ray.

The Prince deserved all the rest he could get.

They were on the way to Kakariko and even the up and down on Michael‘s horse Twyll couldn‘t wake Ray. Michael had wrapped him in his cape and even if it was dirty and ripped from battles, it was still warmer than the white robe. Now Ray was curled against him, dead to the world for a while but breathing in deep and calm breaths.

Michael was tired himself, which was to be expected after the long and hard battle but he forced himself to stay awake and guide Twyll towards the village.

His wounds had stopped healing at some point, still tender but not bleeding anymore. That was strange. Usually Jack‘s grace would leave him spotless and without so much as an ache but not now.

He was pretty sure he knew why and when he concentrated he couldn‘t feel Jack anymore. Couldn‘t feel any of the Champions on the back of his mind.

They had been there, resting and watching and providing their powers when they could.

That had stopped somewhere between firing that last arrow at Ganon and now.

They had faded, passed on after their task was finally completed and their souls were freed.

It left him in a melancholic feeling, because Michael knew that it was the right thing, that the Champions had suffered and waited as well until he could reach and free them. They had died before and passing on was the logical consequence.

First Ganon‘s phantoms had kept them trapped and then they had stayed to aid him in his journey. Their rest was well overdue, and even though he was a bit glad, he also missed them.

The four Champions, the two chosen ones and the King... they had been meant to be together, but they had been separated by space and time. Now they were slowly returning to their rightful places.

That had scared him in the beginning, the thought that he would fade once his destiny was fulfilled. He was old, way too old, and this wasn‘t his time to be alive in.

Ray‘s either, but here they were, and even though he couldn‘t be sure if they would just fall asleep at some point and fade away... he didn‘t think that was the case.

Even if, as long as they faced whatever came after together, he didn‘t mind.

They reached Kakariko while the sun set behind them and Ray was still asleep. Michael couldn‘t help but glance down to him once in a while but the Prince was curled into his chest, unaware of anything around him.

He looked peaceful like that, as peaceful as Michael had ever seen him. Sleep had been so rare back then with Ray always hurrying from one place to the other.

Still, Michael treasured each day they had spent together.

Right now he would love to show Ray Kakariko. How the village had lived through the Calamity, had fought and survived with reasonable loses.

There were some villages like this in Hyrule, some that he had watched and helped rebuild on his journey. Others were nothing more than ashes, like Michael‘s home town as well.

Not that he had expected to meet anyone familiar there in the first place.

But all of that had time for tomorrow and so he let Ray sleep, just gave tired waves to the Sheikah gathering around.

The Sheikah had always kept legends close to their heart and he knew that some recognized Ray right away. Some of the elders even remembered the day the Calamity had appeared.

Michael had seen other places where there had been stories about himself, told to children as nothing more than fairytales. Never here though.

He could see the realization in the eyes of the people around him.

The war was finally over, after so very long.

Later the people would celebrate and probably expect him to join in, but he was too exhausted, so he just steered Twyll towards Impa‘s house.

Impa who had helped Ray so much with the Guardians, who had been one of the hints Ray had left for him.

Impa who helped him remember as much as he could.

She would already know, Michael was sure of that, and still he couldn‘t wait to see her.

He woke Ray softly, relieved when the Prince‘s eyes opened, but to his surprise Impa didn‘t push or talk. She sent Paya, her grandchild, to bring them upstairs, away from any eyes, and the moment Ray‘s head hit the bed, he was gone again.

Michael sat up for a while longer, maintaining the master sword in the light of a single candle and listening to the voices outside. He didn‘t understand a word, didn‘t even try to, but sometimes he enjoyed knowing that there were other people still around.

On his long journeys he sometimes felt like he was the only one out there.

Also there was music, soft and a bit further away.

He enjoyed music because nobody expected him to answer or talk then. All he had to do was listen, and that was so much easier.

So he sat there as darkness fell and the people celebrated outside, always making sure that Ray was still there while he slowly took care of his assortments of weapons.

It wasn‘t needed, but it was good to keep his hands moving. Also he feared sleep, feared the dreams that would come or waking up to realize that nothing had happened at all.

That he was still in front of the castle, preparing for the fight with Ganon.

Ray still trapped and unreachable.

He didn‘t know how long he sat there, wiping down the same sword over and over again in something like a trance. His mind was still trying to catch up, to work through all the things that had happened today, the things he‘d seen.

There was a full-body ache going through him and he knew once he would lay down to sleep it would just come back worse in the morning.

There were bangs coming from outside, like small explosions, like the ground in the throne room. It had cracked and broken when Ganon had attacked, sending Michael down, down, down into the belly of the castle. In a room with no escape and only him and the rubble and Ganon inside.

With one last glance towards Ray to make sure that the Prince was still close by, Michael got to his feet and hurried towards the window.

He didn‘t have his sword on him, it was still on the table, but he knew that even with his body as exhausted as it was right now, he would be fast enough to get it in case anyone attacked. He would be ready to kill should anyone dare to go after Ray.

There were no enemies outside though, no explosion, but a fire that made Michael‘s heart pick up. It took him a moment to realize it was a bonfire and he saw people dancing around it, laughing and talking and singing.

There was food and drinks and children running around way past their bedtime.

It was a picture that eased something in him, and he forced himself to relax until the next bang came from outside and his shoulders hunched up again.

This time he saw where it came from though and slowly exhaled.

Firecrackers.

He saw children throwing them around, watching as they exploded in colorful fires that faded just as fast. Harmless, and still he could feel his heart nearly leap from his chest whenever another one was thrown.

A hand laid on the small of his back and he actually jumped. He hadn‘t heard anyone come this close, too focused on the people outside, and under normal circumstances that could have meant horrible injuries or even death.

An ambush planned by Ganon.

„What is going on?“

It was Ray who asked that, of course it was.

Michael hadn‘t heard his bare feet on the rug but just seeing him helped now. Ray was alive and well, not asleep for a hundred years.

„I heard something,“ Ray whispered, and now Michael could hear the same fear in the Prince‘s voice as he felt in his own heart.

„Just firecrackers,“ he explained. „They’re celebrating.“

Ray nodded softly but appeared frozen on the spot, his eyes wide as if he wanted to watch but was scared of what he would find.

On instinct Michael wrapped his arm around Ray‘s shoulder and pulled him in. It was the same as back on that dark day, when first he had helped Ray down Mount Lanayru and then fled through the cold rain.

Now it gave Ray the strength to take a step forward and watch the people below. He still flinched with the next firecracker but Michael did as well and pressed this close, it felt like one motion.

„I‘m scared,“ Ray whispered as his eyes followed the kids running around. „I know I shouldn‘t be, Ganon is banished, but I‘m still so scared.“

„Me too,“ Michael admitted. „It‘s just because we‘ve been scared for so long. We have to get used to something different first.“

„I guess so.“

With a sigh Ray leaned his head against Michael‘s shoulder, and that was nice. A single warm point of  contact as they stood there, watching the people celebrate.

It even made Ray smile after a while, because over time the dancing got more uncoordinated, the singing not quite in tune, and the music louder to drown it all.

The few kids still running around were clearly on the verge of sleep, and with the firecrackers passing, they all relaxed.

Michael was nearly certain that Ray was asleep as well but after the long silence between them, the Prince turned around to wrap his arms around Michael‘s neck.

It was sudden but not unpleasant, and Michael‘s own hands flew to Ray‘s waist as if he had to steady him. It wasn‘t that, he just had to keep him close, keep him safe because he couldn‘t bear losing him again.

Ray wasn‘t bothered by that; he looked up to him with his steady dark eyes, and it sparked a memory in Michael that before was just a strange tune in the back of his head.

„We danced before,“ he whispered and Ray blinked in surprise.

„Somewhere... we danced to some music. I-“ He trailed off, unsure of himself because the memory was just fragments. Ray‘s hands in his and a blur of people as they spun around and around.

Laughter in Ray‘s eyes and voice.

„We did,“ Ray agreed, and just like that Michael felt guilty. He should remember this, it had to be somewhere in his head, all of it, and it scared him, not knowing how much was still buried beneath his long sleep.

But Ray‘s grip was soft and patient as he moved him towards the music, nothing upbeat at this time of day, but just a soft swaying.

„Do you remember what happened afterwards?“ Ray asked and Michael‘s hands tightened around him.

„No,“ he admitted and lowered his gaze. He was ashamed. Ray had waited so long for someone that was only half of the Michael he knew. „I‘m sorry. I know I sho-“

„Good,“ Ray interrupted him softly. „That‘s fine. It‘s good when you don‘t remember all of the bad stuff right now.“

He smiled, and in their little light it was hard to see but even shadows suited Ray. Everything did.

When Ray leaned forward this time, Michael‘s breath caught in his throat and Ray must have notice how his heart picked up when the other leaned against his chest.

Michael was pretty sure he could hear him chuckle, and it was fine like this.

„As long as you remember this moment, I don‘t mind.“

„I will,“ Michael promised and dropped a kiss on top of dark hair. There wasn‘t an ounce of doubt in his mind, not even for a second.

Because standing up here with the Prince, their bodies so close together to share their warmth as they swayed to distant music - he knew he wouldn‘t forget this. Not even in a thousand years.

 

 

The sun rose too soon, and when Ray woke him, it felt as if they hadn‘t slept at all.

„You know that you can sleep in once in a while,“ Michael whined as he was dragged from the bed. His body ached with each movement but he made sure that it didn‘t show on his face.

„Do you have any idea how long it‘s been since I‘ve seen a sunrise?“ Ray asked him, and that was reason enough.

Kakariko around them was quiet, the villagers still fast asleep after celebrating this long, and no one approached them.

That was good, Michael was still nervous among most people and he could bet that it wasn‘t any easier for Ray either. So he guided the Prince up the hill to the north, where he knew a fairy fountain was, but they stopped before that.

On the little plateau where a shrine rested they had a great view not only down into the villages, but into the mountains as well. A deep wilderness that was filled with golden green at this time of year. Flowers upon flowers at this time of year, and Ray stepped as close as possible to the edge to watch them.

„Silent Princess,“ he muttered to himself, and Michael nodded.

It looked like a sea made of them, their blue blossoms everywhere, and it had filled him with hope each time he had seen them.

„They‘re nearly everywhere now,“ he told him as he sat down on the soft grass.

„They were nearly extinct...“

„Not anymore. They recovered over time.“

Ray smiled at that and stepped away to sit down next to him. The Prince wasn‘t wearing his white gown anymore, they had both exchanged their torn and dirtied clothes for the traditional clothing of the Sheikah. Woolen for the cold up here in the mountains, but very soft.

It looked unusual on Ray, mostly because Michael had only seen him in prestige gowns and tunics and gold. Somehow this made him look softer, younger.

He liked it.

„What a view,“ Ray whispered, and Michael stopped staring.

„Hyrule always was very beautiful. I fell in love with this kingdom when I was a child and looking at it now, it appears as if nothing is wrong.“

Ray‘s eyes narrowed and he shook his head softly. „That‘s not the case though. There are deep scars in this country. So many people died and so many homes were destroyed. It would be foolish to turn a blind eye to it all.“

„There are countless places like this one here,“ Michael tried to assure him, but they both knew that Ray was right. There was also horrible destruction everywhere, the central of Hyrule nearly completely in shambles.

„What are you going to do now?“ Ray asked suddenly, and his surprise must have been obvious because Ray chuckled. „I‘m serious, Michael. You job is done, the hero has won. We are free by our destinies and can do whatever our hearts desire. There‘s no more army to join, no more knights left but you...“

„There‘s still a Prince to protect though,“ Michael interrupted him softly, and Ray turned to him with a strangely solemn expression.

„Is there? The castle is in ruins, my crown long rotten and my people scattered in fear because I couldn‘t protect it properly. The only thing making me royalty is my blood, and I am not certain it‘s enough.“

Pulling his legs against his chest, Ray bit on his lip. „I‘ve been... I‘ve been realizing that nobody would recognize me. Or at least not a lot of people. I‘m just a character in plays, a whisper in stories, and those who still know me will pass soon or are not part of my kingdom to begin with. Nobody truly knows who I am.“

Michael‘s eyes widened a little as he understood.

„There is no reason for you to claim this kingdom again,“ he said slowly.

„They did rebuild and live very well without me those past hundred years. Maybe they won‘t even want me anymore or even hate me for what happened. I could understand them.“

Ray rested his chin on his knees, watching as the sun rose over the hills around.

„I just don‘t know what to do. What the right choice to make is. I could... I could just be Ray. Nobody watching and nobody talking behind my back. But is that the right way? Don‘t I owe this kingdom more?“

And Michael hated it, that look on Ray‘s face. It was always close, worrying over everyone else but himself, overthinking each of his decisions and so self-conscious that Michael wanted to reach out and hold him tight.

He had hoped with Ganon gone the weight would be lifted from his shoulders, but that had been naive.

„You got time,“ he reminded Ray. „Think about it and then make your decision. You gave this kingdom your all, whatever choice you make it will be fine. And if Prince or not, I want to be with you.“

It came out as too much as a confession, and Michael felt his cheeks heat up but didn‘t think about taking it back. That had always been on his mind after all, and he had decided that for himself even before his long sleep.

They both had lost everything besides each other. It seemed reasonable enough to just stick together.

Still, he backpedaled a little.

„I mean only if you want to. I have like a little house by Hateno and it‘s nothing much. Most certainly not, I mean it‘s smaller than your own chambers and it‘s kinda just a single room. But it‘s mine and it‘s very peaceful there, so I think you might like it.“

„Are you asking me to move in with you, less than a day after we found each other again?“ Ray asked and even though it was clearly just to tease him, Michael felt himself turn red.

„No! I mean, kinda? I just thought it would be a good place to rest up and think and such. To figure out what we want to do. I guess, I already know what I want to do. I always knew b-“

„You always wanted to do me,“ Ray offered helpfully, and Michael spluttered something out that wasn‘t even words.

At least it made Ray laugh, adorable giggles that shook his whole body, and it was the first time Michael had heard that since so long. It made his heart flutter and all he could do was stare.

In the bright morning light Ray didn‘t look like a Prince, he just looked like Ray, his hair still a tad too long and the clothes not quite fitting. It didn‘t matter though when Michael reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair back behind the other‘s ear.

It made Ray fall silent, but his eyes were still bright, the heavy nostalgia from before forgotten for the moment.

„You still think I shouldn‘t cut it?“ he asked, and Michael nodded.

„I like when you bind it back.“

Ray nodded and reached out himself. His fingers were cold and gentle as they brushed over Michael‘s head.

„Yours is so short,“ he said a bit confusedly, and a little self conscious Michael reached up himself.

His hair had actually grown back a bit from when he had cut it all off on a whim. It had just felt right in that moment, to cut it all away and leave it behind.

„I guess I should let it grow again,“ he said awkwardly, but Ray just smiled.

„If you want to.“

„What do you think?“

„I like it when it‘s longer.“

„Alright then.“

They shared another smile before turning back to the view in front of them. The sun brought warmth with it and even in the cold mountain air they could feel it against their skin.

Ray actually closed his eyes and let himself fall back into the grass, laying there to soak it all up.

„Take me to that house,“ Ray said after a while and stretched his arms as if he wanted to touch the sky. His fingers threw long shadows over the grass.

„Take me to all the places you saw on your journey. I want you to show me Hyrule. The Hyrule you saw, Michael.“

„I can do that.“

„Even the bad stuff?“ Ray asked, now a bit more unsure. „Because I know there is a lot of bad stuff out there I probably can‘t even imagine. Things you saw. It‘s horrible to ask you to return to those places, but I need to know to find my answer. I need to know the damage I caused.“

Michael hesitated, because there was a lot of bad things out there. Destroyed villages and cities, miles of land where only some animals dared to return even after a century. Wagons rotting along the paths, left in a hurry and filled with things the owners couldn‘t carry anymore. Horrible creatures roaming Hyrule now and attacking careless wanderers.

Hyrule was still beautiful, but it was a far cry from the kingdom they had both grown up in.

Still, he understood what Ray wanted to say and he took one of Ray‘s reaching hands in his to squeeze tightly.

„Alright.“

„Thank you, Michael.“

 

* * *

 

 

Ray wasn‘t made to rest, Michael had always thought that. They stayed three more days in Kakariko in which they gathered their strength. Sleeping and eating and taking long walks into the mountains.

Sometimes Ray talked with the villagers, and a lot of them knew who he was. As a Sheikah it was a honor to keep old secrets and stories, and they were obviously excited to have the Prince of legend in their midst.

Before the Calamity Ray had handled situations like that easily, Michael had watched that more than once, but now it drained him. He kept close to Michael, nearly pressing into him to keep his distance from other people, to avoid hands.

It was such a drastic change to before that it worried Michael the more Ray pushed himself. At least most people were understanding and kept a polite distance, but along their travels Michael knew there would come others.

„I have to grow used to it again,“ Ray explained to him in the dead of night when they both couldn‘t sleep. „I know that what happened will affect me, but to what degree is only for me to decide.“

Michael turned his head but in the dark he couldn‘t make out Ray‘s expression.

„Also I will have to talk to others. The Elders of the people out there, the Zora will recognize me. The faster I get over this the better.“

„I don‘t want you to push yourself so hard.“

„You being here helps a lot.“

 

On the road Ray was clearly more comfortable. It was like a weight was lifted from his shoulders once they waved Kakariko goodbye and Ray turned around.

He had been given a horse, not as beautiful or a purebred as his old one, but sturdy and calm. Michael caught him petting it thoroughly.

Following the winding path down, Michael tensed again and neither of them spoke. They both knew what would come soon, a memory that was clear in his mind if only to spite him.

On that dark day they had headed to Kakariko in hopes of safety and allies, but they hadn‘t made it before getting surrounded.

Michael had passed by that place so often on his journey, unaware of what it meant. The memory had only triggered recently.

The pain in his back and Ray behind him with no place to run. The bright fire and glowing mechanical eyes. They had been drenched to the bones. Cold and alone in this world.

“They rebuilt the stable,” Ray said after a while, and Michael nodded.

“Yeah, you can find them everywhere in Hyrule now. It’s a good place to rest,” he said quickly and tried to push down the picture of the building on fire. Of course, that had been long ago; it would be hard to even find traces of that anymore, but the flames still reached high into the sky in the back of his head.

Ray threw him a quick glance and dropped the topic then, and Michael couldn’t help but be glad. They had to face this, he knew that deep down inside, but this place was where he failed. Where he had gotten careless and had to leave Ray behind.

He hated it.

Pulling on his reins, he steered his horse away from the path to avoid getting closer to that place. It was also faster to cut through this field right here anyway.

Ray followed reluctantly, but Michael could tell that his eyes were attentive, looking around to take it all in.

This was a stupid idea, and Michael instantly chided himself for it.

This field had turned into a battlefield a hundred years ago and the signs were still there. Deep holes in the ground that had filled with water to become small ponds, rotting trees nearly hidden by the high grass, and of course the carcasses of the Guardians.

They were everywhere, rusty spider legs holding them up as if they were frozen in time.

There were so many around, scattered around the field as they had been heading to Hateno, and Michael knew that there would be more coming. He had seen it before, the destruction on his way, and it had squeezed his chest tightly enough to keep him from breathing right.

Now he just kept his gaze on his horse and tried to get this over with, to not think about it.

“Wait!”

But apparently Ray had other plans.

Michael stopped his horse and by the time he turned around, Ray was already off his horse and running towards one of the Guardians.

“Ray!” Michael called out and just like that his heart was in his throat. He didn’t want to see Ray anywhere near a thing like that again, didn’t even want him too far away from him in the first place. even though it was stupid.

The Guardian was dead, its eye shattered by something, and still-

He slipped from his saddle and hurried towards Ray. Ray who was standing in front of that thing now, hands extended uncertainly, like he didn’t quite dare to touch it. But then he grasped tightly to the legs and climbed up that thing and Michael’s heart nearly stopped.

“Ray!”

The Prince wasn’t listening. He was wiping moss that had grown over the metal body away until he found whatever he was looking for. It had to be the small hatch that he had been always working on, but before he could find it, Michael reached him and caught his arm.

“What are you doing?” he snapped at him and pulled him down. It was too sudden, too angry, and Ray tumbled down, nearly falling to the ground from Michael’s pull, but even that would be better than seeing him close to that thing just a second longer.

“It’s dead, Michael,” Ray told him, wide eyed and confused.

“Not all of them are,” he spat back. “Some are still roaming around. An endless amount that are still terrorizing this damn kingdom and they are just as dangerous as back then!”

He knew that they were, because on his journey he had grown quite good at taking them down. It still made his heart race each and every time, because only one mistake, one wrong step, and it could end like back then.

All hope lost.

Ray was staring up to him in something like shock, probably because he had screamed at him. Michael didn’t like raising his voice at him but he couldn’t help himself.

Then Ray reached up and gently touched the hand holding him. It was too tight, Michael saw how Ray’s skin was yielding under his touch, and he let go as if he’d been burned.

A horrible guilt took a hold of him because now he watched as Ray’s arm turned from white to red, a clear mark of his grip visible.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted out, shocked at himself, but Ray just shook his head.

“I hate this place as well,” he said in his usual calm voice. “I hate this because I remember you collapsing so suddenly and you were bleeding. Goddess, I never saw so much blood before. I didn’t know what to do, Michael.”

A shiver worked down Ray’s back and Michael wished he would stop. He didn’t want to think about it, least of all talk about it, but Ray didn’t stop.

“I was sure you would die right then and there. Right in front of me. All those powers Hylia had finally granted me but they couldn’t bring you back. I hated her in that moment more than I ever hated anyone.“

Ray reached out then, and for a moment Michael wanted to step back. He didn‘t want to be touched here, not while his hands were still shaking after grasping Ray so tightly. But Ray‘s hand went past him, gently brushing against the hilt of his sword.

„It was the Master Sword that sang to me back then. In between all that fire and the cold and your blood on my hands, I heard its chime, and have never heard something more pure. It calmed me down, made me realize that not all hope was lost. That you could still be saved.“

Ray smiled up to him but Michael could see the fear from back then still in his eyes, how lonely he must have been.

„I sent you to the Shrine of Resurrection, knowing that you would have to sleep to heal. Hyrule couldn‘t wait that long, I knew that as well. So I took this sword and Hylia‘s power and faced Ganon.“

„You must have been so scared,“ Michael whispered.

Ray stiffened for a moment before letting his hand drop back down. He seemed to think about it before turning away, touching the metal body of the Guardian and making Michael‘s heart leap into his throat again.

Dangerous, couldn‘t he see how dange-

„Actually, I wasn‘t,“ Ray interrupted his thoughts. „Thanks to Hylia‘s protection none of Ganon‘s creatures could touch me or even come close. Her light burned them all away. Ganon was still trying to regain their true powers, so I could hit them hard, could bring us to this endless stalemate.

“So I wasn‘t scared, I rather felt cold.“

With a sigh Ray closed his eyes, his hand wiping more moss away.

„In those moments when Hylia and I was connected... I could see all, the way she does. I heard the prayers of all the scared people out there, all those lost souls searching for her guidance. I tried... I tried to find them in all of that. The Champions, hoping that I could help them out there, but their souls were trapped and I couldn‘t reach them. My father though...“

Ray trailed off and pressed his lips together.

„I felt him but there was just no time and it was all so overwhelming. The longer I hesitated the more my people had to suffer, but there was so much more to say. I hadn‘t talked to him after our fight, and how _stupid_ I was. He meant well, I know that but I just wouldn‘t listen a-“

„Ray,“ Michael interrupted him and when he touched him, Ray‘s eyes fluttered open. There was something so tight and pained in his face that it hurt Michael‘s heart.

„Geoff knew all of that,“ he assured him softly. „I met him, I talked to him, and he was so worried about you. He loved you very much.“

„Ganon killed him as one of the first, made sure it would hurt me,“ Ray whispered. “They showed me how it happened, wanted to shake my resolve, but I wouldn‘t let them. Because my father faced Ganon, wouldn‘t back down. He told Ganon that they wouldn‘t succeed, that his son was out there and woul-“

Ray broke off and turned away, wrapping his arms around himself.

Michael wanted to comfort him, but he felt frozen in place. There was bile rising in his throat just imagining this, Ganon‘s mind tricks and lies and horrifying truths.

Pure malice taking form.

And Ray alone there with it.

„Geoff was right then,“ he tried himself, his voice too tight. „His son came to save the kingdom, to stop Ganon.“

Ray‘s shoulders slumped and he still didn‘t turn towards him.

„I just wanted to make him proud,“ he whispered. „In that short moment... back then when I found his soul I tried to tell him, but I‘m not sure if it worked. I‘m not sure if I could show him all that. There just wasn‘t any ti-“

Michael laid a hand on Ray‘s shoulder and made the other jump. But it at least made Ray fall silent, even though Michael could feel him tremble beneath his touch.

„He knows all that, Ray. Geoff always did.“

Ray took a moment, but then he nodded. Reaching up, he rubbed his face, and when he turned back around his eyes were red but there were no traces of tears.

„Thank you,“ he murmured. „I hope you‘re right.“

„I‘m sure I am.“

With another nod, Ray touched the guardian once again, and Michael was reminded how much time Ray spent on them, how much hope and love he had put into them.

„They were meant to protect,“ he said quietly. „But in the end it backfired so horribly.“

He looked up to Michael with the same blank expression that Michael had hated since the beginning.

„I want to go to your little house. That sounds very nice right about now.“

„We should get going then,“ Michael said, glad about the change of topic. „Hateno is still a bit away.“

Back on their horses, they rode through the battlefield in a strained silence, and when Hateno Fortress came into view Michael tensed again.

The huge wall between two cliffs with towers and gates and dozens of dead Guardians scattered around. It was an eerie reminder of the war of survival that had raged.

„That... that hasn‘t been there before,“ Ray said carefully.

„They built it to defend Hateno against the Guardians,“ Michael explained. It was strange seeing their roles reversed like that, and under other circumstances it would be amusing. Usually he would be the clueless one.

Now it was Ray who took in the obvious traces of battles taking place here. The huge dents in the wall where Guardians had tried to blow through it. Rusty swords and shields scattered around, telling stories of other unsung heroes.

„It‘s the reason why Hateno survived nearly unscathed. They held out against the onslaught.“

Ray silently took that in, watching wide eyed as they rode through the old gate and further up the mountain. But as hopeless as it seemed at first glance, nature was already taking back what was hers. Vines and flowers were blooming over the wall and there were animals all around. Wild horses and foxes who carefully avoided both of them.

That managed to make Ray turn back around, draw his gaze to them instead of the reminder of darker times.

By the time Hateno came into view, the sun stood high and felt warm on their skin, making those horrible thoughts go away for once, and as they approached the city gate, Michael was greeted with a nod. The eyes of the guard traveled over Ray, but they didn‘t say a thing and he saw how Ray relaxed slowly.

“It’s nothing much,” Michael said probably for the third time, and by the look Ray threw him it was maybe the fifth time.

“It’s nice out here,” Ray responded, and Michael had to agree. They were on the edge of Hateno, and over a bridge away from the main street and nestled right against the surrounding mountains was his little hut. There wasn't a lot there, a few trees and something that could maybe become a garden if he'd decided to work on it. Actually a lot of the house could use a little work, but he had rarely stayed here in the first place.

That actually made him even more nervous now, because he couldn't even remember the last time he stayed here, let alone the state he had left his house in. It shouldn't be too bad because he just used it to sleep when he was in the area, but it would most certainly be less pristine than anything Ray had ever seen.

"How did you even get this house?" Ray asked as Michael walked up to the door. "I mean, I don't blame you but it just seems..."

"I was talked into this mostly," Michael grunted as he threw himself against the door to get it to open. Yeah, some work was in order here. "But it helped a friend get his business going, I guess."

Inside it was dark because the only light fell in from the door they were standing at. Taking a deep breath, he went in to open the blinds. With the light falling in it looked a bit more homely, but he also pulled a face at the cobwebs everywhere.

„It‘s dusty,“ Ray offered unhelpfully as he stepped in.

„I told you I‘ve not been here a lot,“ Michael defended himself. „It shouldn‘t be too much work to get this cleaned up.“

Still, he watched anxiously as Ray stepped in.

He hadn‘t been kidding when he had told Ray that it wasn‘t anything much. Most of the house was this one big room with a tiny kitchen in the corner and a single table in the middle. The rest of the walls were taken in by weapons he had put up. Rare swords he had come across on his journey or bows he didn‘t see fitting for his next mission. It was a bit of an armory in here. There was a staircase leading up to a deck where his bed was and a lonely shelf with nicknacks he had found around Hyrule.

Ray looked around in interest before turning towards Michael.

„It‘s fine,“ he told him. „Go ahead and look around. See what mess you can find.“

Ray chuckled, but now couldn‘t keep his hands to himself. His fingers traveled over the hilts of weapons and sturdy shields. Some were clearly used up and nearly breaking apart, but Michael couldn‘t get rid of them just yet.

There were stories told by them, things he wanted to remember.

„This looks like Ryan‘s,“ Ray whispered, and Michael smiled a little as he looked at the golden saber on his wall.

„It‘s not, but it was a present from the new Gerudo chief.“

„They give those weapons only to the fiercest warriors.“ Ray turned away from the weapons but didn‘t look too sad about it. Michael had been worried that anything reminding him of the Champions, most of all Ryan who had been so close to him, would hurt, but if at all Ray looked rather melancholic.

„The new chief of the Gerudo, can you introduce me to her?“

„Of course. I think you will like her. Riju is still very young but she‘s trying her hardest.“

Ray gave a hum as an answer and Michael had to smile to himself.

„Have to get you into the city at first though.“

„What do you mean?“

„Well it‘s only open for women or other Gerudos and we can‘t just walk up to the guards and tell them that you are the long lost Prince. It would be hard to believe.“

„Surely they would trust you enough to let us inside.“

„Believe me, it‘s always quite a chore to get into the city,“ Michael huffed. „Have to dress up as a woman every time.“

Ray‘s eyebrows rose in amusement. „Surely they know that you‘re the hero of Hyrule and let you pass. After all you worked together with them on your journey.“

„That‘s kinda the problem. I had to dress up to get into the city in the first place, so they think the one helping them was this girl. Riju knows who I am but she doesn‘t tell the guards and so I have to sneak in each time.“

„Why doesn‘t she tell them?“

Michael shrugged. „I think it amuses her.“

„You‘re right. I already like her,“ Ray chuckled, and Michael just rolled his eyes.

„That only means that we got to dress you up as well!“

„I can pull it off, believe it or not.“

„Yeah, whatever.“ Michael stepped towards the table and began to rummage in his bag. „I‘ll see what I can cook up for us but we‘ll have to go to the market soon and buy supplies.“

„Okay,“ Ray responded rather disinterestedly, and when Michael looked up, the Prince was already halfway up the stairs. He left him to roam around and turned back to the task at hand when his fingers brushed against something familiar.

The Sheikah Slate. It was actually a surprise that Ray hadn‘t already asked for it, but there had been too much on his mind probably. Now Michael picked it up and couldn‘t help but feel excited.

Surely Ray would love how much he had discovered and all those pictures he had made around Hyrule. He was just about to call Ray down again when the Prince looked over the small balustrade down to him.

„It will be a tight fit tonight,“ Ray told him matter of factly. „Your bed isn‘t really big.“

Oh. Fuck, he hadn‘t even thought about that in the first place and there wasn‘t much more in here in terms of furniture than two chairs. There had never been the need for anything else.

„I can sleep on the floor,“ he offered quickly. It would hardly be the first time and this time it would even be indoors.

Above him Ray just laughed and turned back around.

„Don‘t be ridiculous.“

 

Michael didn‘t dare to move. It was stupid, really. It wasn't the first time he and Ray had slept in the same room or even in the same bed, but now it was _his_ bed, his little house. And before it had always been out of necessity; after all he was around to protect the Prince. And that one night before Ray‘s birthday?

Ray had asked him to stay back then.

This time Ray didn‘t really have a choice because there wasn‘t any other place in here to sleep. Maybe Michael should have offered to stay in the nearby inn, but he already knew that he couldn‘t possibly keep Ray out of his sight even for one night.

Not so soon after finding him again.

So now here he was, acutely aware of Ray right next to him. They weren‘t pressed together, weren‘t even touching because the bed was big enough for that at least, and still he feared to move, to brush against Ray.

Again he wasn‘t sure why, because he had grown used to touching Ray, even enjoyed it and found it calming. With just a single touch he could make sure that Ray was still there, not a trick of his mind.

He didn‘t need that right now with how close Ray was laying next to him. The Prince was curled onto his side, his head propped up on one arm, and Michael could hear him breathing softly. He didn‘t want to disturb him in his much needed rest and didn‘t even quite dare to glance at him, but when he did he was surprised to find Ray‘s eyes still open.

With how quiet the Prince had been Michael had been sure he was asleep, but Ray just watched outside the window and into the distance. In the cold light of the moon he looked strangely lonely and Michael couldn‘t help but worry.

„Can‘t sleep?“ he asked and Ray blinked a few times. He seemed a thousand miles away and Michael hated that look on his face, wanted him right here with him.

„Sorry,“ Ray mouthed. „I was just... just thinking.“

Ray always was, turning things around and around in his head until he was exhausted. Michael wished he would stop that.

„What about?“ he asked instead of chiding him, knowing it would just make Ray feel more guilty.

„About my birthday.“ And then when Michael flinched because that most certainly wasn‘t a thing to think about this late at night, Ray quickly added, „The nice parts! I‘m just trying to think about the nice parts because even after all the horrible things that happened... that day meant a lot to me.“

The Prince turned onto his belly to look up at him.

„Even though I didn‘t see my father or Impa on that day, everyone else was there and wished me well. And I got presents! The necklace from Ryan and Jeremy and Gavin‘s cloak was so warm.“ Ray‘s eyes lit up. „Jack‘s stone! I never got around to truly observing it, there just wasn‘t any time!“

„It was most certainly a curious stone,“ Michael agreed even though the memories were blurry.

„I wonder where it went. I can‘t remember where I put it,“ Ray mumbled but fell quiet. It was a comfortable silence though and Michael tried to picture the stone again. He knew that something had been strange about it but all he could picture was Ray holding it and his eyes wide in wonder.

„You tried to kiss me,“ Ray said easily, and Michael felt his heart stutter.

He did remember _that._

Ray propped his head onto his fists and watched him, curious as if that was just a normal thing to bring up.

„You wanted to kiss me under the stars. And as we went up Mount Lanayru and found the rainbow. I think you wanted to kiss me there as well.“

„I wasn‘t allowed to,“ Michael said carefully. His mouth felt dry by the way Ray was looking at him.

„Would you still want to?“

And what was he supposed to say to that? The thought had crossed his mind, of course it had but he had always pushed it away. No time for stupid fantasies and dwelling on how much he wanted Ray hurt too much when he was so far away. It had come back once they were back together but it was hardly the time for that. Not after all they had been through, not with how much more they had to face.

In comparison to that all, how could that be important?

„You‘re the High Priest of Hyrule,“ he said carefully and saw how Ray frowned slightly.

„That wasn‘t the answer to my question.“

„It was your answer back then,“ Michael reminded him carefully, „You said you weren‘t allowed to.“

Ray was still watching him as if to try and figure him out. Michael wasn‘t sure what he was meant to do about that. He was awkwardly aware of every breath he took, asking himself if he was breathing too deeply, if Ray could see how fast his heart was beating. He wondered if he should turn towards the Prince, but maybe that would send the wrong signals... but he also really didn‘t want to scoot away.

No, Ray‘s eyes had him pinned right where he was.

„I am the High Priest of Hyrule and the mortal vessel of Hylia‘s power,“ Ray told him with a solemn expression. „Since I could think I‘ve been trained to take on this role, the first stories and lullabies I heard were about her, and I‘ve grew up with her shadow over me. I didn‘t think I could ever escape her and felt guilty for ever wanting to. It was a great honor after all, that‘s what they all said. For me it always was a burden.“

„Ray...“ Michael whispered, but Ray‘s eyes were fierce.

„I gave Hylia enough. I gave her so much of my life and my time and my strength. I fulfilled my role and for the first time since I can think I can make my own choices and can decide on which road I want to take. For the first time since I was born I feel like this life is truly mine.“

He didn‘t stop Ray as he cupped his face, welcomed the touch instead. He didn‘t move at all, just steadied the other as Ray draped himself over him.

Then Ray froze, staring down at him as if he didn‘t know how he got here in the first place.

They were close, close enough to feel each other‘s breath, but Michael just watched him helplessly. He was well aware of his place in this moment, that Ray was royalty, was otherworldly in some way. A mortal God and most powerful, but on the other hand he felt so fragile beneath his hands.

Whenever he saw this vulnerable side of him he nearly drowned in the singing of their bond, in the need to protect him from everything in this wide world out there.

It was love, simple as that, and he had always known he would follow the Prince wherever and no matter the choices he would make. Even if Ray‘s heart would find someone else, even if after all that happened Ray would never think about a relationship like this again - as long as Michael was next to him it was fine.

But this time it was Ray who leaned down, his warm fingers digging into Michael‘s cheeks as he exhaled shakily.

The kiss was nothing more than a press of lips, a spark in the night before Ray already pulled back, laughing with a dangerous edge to it.

„I actually don‘t know what I‘m doing,“ he admitted with a trembling voice, so endlessly scared of ruining what they had, as if Michael ever had a choice to leave him.

So he was the one surging up now, one hand tangled in dark hair to press their lips together. Ray made a surprised little noise in the back of his throat, his hands flying up, and for a moment Michael was sure he wanted to pull away, but then they settled back on his shoulders.

It was Ray who leaned in then with fingers that grasped his tunic tightly.

It was a clumsy kiss as most first kisses were but Michael didn‘t mind. It was gentle, was more important. Gentle and soft, and Ray made that funny little noise that made his cheeks heat up.

Or maybe that was him, it was hard to tell in retrospect.

What he did know though was that once Ray leaned back his face was healthily flushed and Michael could see it clearly even in the pale moonlight they had.

Actually Ray stared at him a bit shellshocked, like he couldn‘t believe what just happened, before quickly hiding his burning face against Michael‘s chest.

A bit awkwardly, Michael patted his shoulder because he was at the loss of what else to do and was too aware of how damn fast his heart was beating.

„Sorry,“ he blurted out without much thinking.

„What are you apologizing for?“

„I actually don‘t really know.“

Ray laughed, still muffled into Michael‘s chest, but that was fine. He even peeked out after a bit and his eyes were so beautiful that for a moment it took Michael‘s breath away.

„You‘re pretty,“ he told him and wanted to kick his own ass before he realized that it was probably okay for him to say that.

„You are too,“ Ray mumbled before giggling. „Or that‘s what I would say if you‘d grow your hair again.“

„Guess I‘ll better get to that then,“ Michael teased.

„Only if you want to though.“

„I do,“ he promised, and Ray grinned up to him, boyish and young and divine.

„I‘m glad,“ he said. „Not about the hair though. I mean a little bit but mostly because I did that. I was thinking about that a lot.“

That sent a pleasant shiver down Michael‘s back. It felt good to know that he wasn‘t the only one. Reaching down he played with Ray’s outgrown hair.

“I was thinking about that a lot as well.”  
“Oh, I could tell,” Ray mocked him, but he was still healthily flushed. When Michael pouted down to him, Ray actually caught his hand and squeezed it in apology before he hesitated.

“Your hands are rough,” he mumbled. “I remember that they always were.”

“It comes from handling a weapon.”

“I know. I kinda like it though, so don’t worry.” He turned Michael’s hand around until he could press a kiss to his pulse point. That sent another spark down Michael’s spine, the easiness that Ray did it, the unfamiliarity of it all.

Ray nuzzled into his palm and Michael couldn’t help himself but stroke softly over his cheek.

“You think you can sleep now?” he asked and after a thoughtful moment Ray nodded.

“I think so. Before it was just kinda awkward, I guess.”

“So you figured you’d bring up kissing?” Michael asked a little flabbergasted, but Ray just looked up to him in all earnestness.

“Figured I’d address the Hinox in the room and it worked out, didn’t it? I figured it would.”

“Goddess,” Michael huffed amusedly, but pulled the other in until Ray curled into his chest. “Lets just sleep before you become even more ridiculous.”

 

Michael startled awake when he heard the door fall shut and his hand instantly searched for his sword. Old habits die hard, and deep inside he knew that it would take years to pass. He had been too haunted, had to be too careful on his journey, and he couldn't just turn it off.

He recognized his home a second later and still his heart beat too fast.

There was still a chance of an intruder. It wouldn't be the first time that people tried to sneak up to him; there were still some warriors of the Yiga left who were out for his blood.

And Ray's, he realized with a sudden jolt.

Ray wasn't next to him anymore and a part of him knew that it was most likely that Ray was moving downstairs and still that couldn't calm him down.

Jumping out of bed, Michael stepped towards the balustrade to look down, and sure enough it was Ray.

"Did I wake you?" the Prince called up to him as if he hadn't just given Michael the fright of his life.

Even the sight of Ray standing there with a basket in his hand, drenched in warm sunlight couldn't help. He had to grip the wood tightly enough until it groaned.

"Michael?" Ray asked in concern, and he could finally loosen his tongue.

"You were outside," he said sharply, and Ray frowned up to him.

"We didn't have any food, so I figured I should go and get some."

"You should have woken me."

"I didn't want to," Ray told him softly and carefully placed the basked on the table. "Please calm down."

"You were in Hateno without me," he just muttered, more to himself than to the Prince, but the thought alone made him sick. There were bad people out there, very, very bad people, and they couldn't trust them. Surely rumors were already beginning to spread about the Prince appearing again, people had to notice that Ganon was gone now and they had to be so careful-

"Hateno is safe," Ray interrupted his thoughts. "Everyone was nice to me and nobody recognized me."

"Still-"

"I don't want to live my life in fear." Now Ray's voice was stern and that eased something in Michael.

Taking a deep breath he let his head hang and tried to calm down. Things were fine, he had to remind himself of that.

"Come down here and have breakfast with me?" Ray offered softly, and Michael nodded. He still took another moment to collect himself before he walked down the stairs. Ray was waiting for him and Michael couldn't quite meet his eyes.

Now that he was a bit more awake, he felt embarrassed, but the fear still felt cold in his chest.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled and was already thinking about words to explain, but Ray just smiled. The Prince brought his hand up to stroke over Michael's cheek, still warm from sleep.

"It's alright. It's all very new, but we'll learn, okay?"

"I hope so."

Ray pinched his cheek before grasping his arm to pull him closer to the table. "Look at what I got! They had so much fresh stuff at the market!"

"Of course. This area is pretty famous for their truffles and pumpkins." He checked on the basket and was pleasantly surprised by the assortment of ingredients.

"Is this a bad time to bring up that I took your rupees for this?" Ray asked, amused, and Michael rolled his eyes.

"Royalty is always the same. They kiss you and then run away with your money."

"I did come back though," Ray reminded him and tried to take the basket towards the kitchen when Michael stopped him.

"Do you even... know how to cook?"

"It can't be that hard."

"Alright nevermind. You sit down and I’ll take care of breakfast because I am actually quite hungry."

Ray pouted up at him but didn't protest too much when Michael picked some eggs from the basket.

He was just about to begin when he remembered the Sheikah Slate.

"I wanted to show you for some time," he told Ray and rummaged under watchful eyes through his bag. In the moment he pulled it out, he could hear Ray's little gasp.

"The Slate!"

"I took a lot of those pictures like you showed me before," he explained as he handed it over. "Figured you'd like to see them."

"I do!" Ray greed eagerly and stole the Sheikah Slate straight from his hands. "Oh Michael, this is incredible! Did it help you? I nearly forgot that I left it for you!"

"More than you would ever know," he said honestly. "Mostly the map."

"You were always hopeless with directions," Ray reminded him, but was already sitting down at the table, mesmerized by the tablet.

"Actually there are some new upgrades to that thing and if you wanna check them out we should do that outside," he mumbled thoughtfully and Ray perked up curiously before turning back to the pictures.

It had something strangely nostalgic to it, seeing him sitting there. It reminded him of all those years ago when Ray was barely seen without the Sheikah Slate around, always engrossed by it and trying to figure out its secrets.

The location had changed though, not in the castle or somewhere in the wildness of Hyrule, but here, a place that Michael had called home because it was the closest to it. Now more than any time before it felt more like it.

Ray had his feet on the chair to preserve the warmth and in his Sheikah clothing he looked very soft. The sunlight was early but already bright and Michael could see more colors in the usually dark hair than before.

He couldn't help himself but step closer and barely hesitated before bending down to press a kiss to Ray's temple. It made his heart flutter, the knowledge that he was allowed to now and to see how Ray blushed a little.

The Prince hummed, pleased, but didn't lift his eyes from the screen.

So Michael started their breakfast and Ray sat by, asking about the pictures he took and the stories behind. It was all strangely domestic but Michael hardly minded.

 

* * *

 

 

The days they spent in his little house felt like a dream, and sometimes Michael had to stop for a moment and remind himself that this was real. Ray was fine and the was darkness gone. They were both together, and maybe most of all they were safe.

It felt so strange to think about it like this.

On some days it had felt like he had been hunted for a long time, maybe his entire life. Of course that wasn't true, but after losing his memories through his long sleep and just being thrown out into this destroyed land it had been hard to remind himself of lighter times.

Now he lived in those times and wanted to relish in them but couldn't quite get himself to do so. Whenever he was outside to train or just for a walk together with Ray he still expected an ambush. He never allowed his sword to be very far away, and when Ray said that at some point they should bring it back into the lost forest he felt dread curl in his stomach. WIthout it he felt useless and vulnerable, but at the same time he knew that Ray was right.

His role as the hero was over, so the only reasonable thing was to pass the sword down, to hide it in a safe place until the next hero was born.

He just couldn't quite bring himself to do that.

It also brought something else up.

"You have to have an heir," he said maybe too nonchalantly. It had just popped up in his head and he hadn't really thought about it.

They were cleaning this place, from the top to the bottom, and as it turned out Ray was horribly useless for that. Sure, the Prince never had to clean anything properly before, but it wasn't that complicated.

Now Ray looked up from where he stared disgustedly into the bucket. Seriously, it was just water!

"Why? Are you offering?" was all he had to say to that and Michael blushed brightly at the thought.

Spluttering some form of an answer, he turned back around and scrubbed the window with way too much vigor than he probably had to.

He could hear Ray chuckle and they fell back into a comfortable silence. A silence that most certainly wasn't interrupted by Ray wringing out his rag and continue working, but Michael didn't bother him.

It was true though and now that he thought about it, he tried hard not to look at his own reflection in the glass. Ray was the last member of the royal family, the only one who still carried the royal blood. They cycle had to continue or else Hyrule was doomed. The hero would be born again in a talented boy or girl but the High Priest?

The High Priest would always be the first born child of the royal family. It was Ray's duty to carry on that legacy.

Maybe Ray realized that as well now because Michael could hear him shuffle around but didn't dare to turn around. Not even when he felt the other right behind him.

Ray's arms wrapped around Michael's middle as he pressed his face against his shoulders. His hands were cold from the water.

"It's scary to think that I'm the last one left," Ray whispered and Michael wanted to kick himself.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't hav-"

"No, it's fine. I should make my choice." He laughed but his hands were shaking. "But it was just all big talk, wasn't it? In the end I don't have a choice in the first place. If I don't take the crown again then I will throw Hyrule once again into chaos. How selfish-"

"Not necessary," Michael interrupted him. "If you put on the crown or not doesn't change who you are. Your blood is still royal and your family still connected with Hylia."

"I guess," Ray mumbled but didn't sound convinced.

Michael turned around in his arms and Ray instantly nestled into his chest instead.

"You have a choice, okay?" he promised, and after a while Ray nodded. It turned into a pout just as quick.

"I don't want to clean anymore."

"Don't be a baby. We're nearly done."

"I don't care. The water is cold and makes my hands all wrinkly." As if to prove that, Ray stuck his hands out for him to see, but it hardly impressed Michael.

"Welcome to hard labor, your Royal Highness."

"When I'll go and take back the crown I'll at least have servants again," Ray mumbled thoughtfully. "And they were all way nicer to me than you are right now."

Michael gasped in fake shock and it made Ray laugh.

The Prince wrapped his arms around his shoulders now and stood tall to press his lips against Michael's. This kiss wasn't as clumsy anymore, not after the last days, and Michael felt a distant hunger in it. He pushed in harder but Ray didn't back down, just pulled himself closer until their bodies were flush together.

Ray nipped on his bottom lip, and surprised, Michael pulled back. There was a mischievous sparkle in Ray's eyes.

"Fine. I guess you're nice to me."

"I'd damn well hope so," Michael protested and pecked Ray on the lips once more. "That doesn't save you from cleaning though."

With a whine Ray let himself fall against him but Michael pushed him off gently.

"Get back to work."

 

When they were finally done and Ray had stopped complaining, Michael took him outside. It was a nice summer day and they had all the windows open behind them but rather laid on the patch of grass beside his garden.

The sun was warm on Michael's skin and he was half dozing, listening to Ray inspecting the flowers in his garden and wishing the Prince would also find a second to relax. He was always buzzing around, never taking a nap and jumping from one task to the other.

Michael wished he would just calm down and lay down next to him and enjoy the calm day for a while. Well, to be honest he was also wondering if anyone could see them from the street in case they started to make out. They were mostly hidden by his house and not many people passed by bu-

"This feels like a fairytale,” Ray interrupted his thoughts. When Michael opened his eyes he found the Prince standing between the flowers, looking down the mountains.

“What do you mean?”

“Being here with you, as if we’re the only people in this whole world,” Ray explained. “In a little house on the edge of a village it doesn’t seem like anything is wrong, as if there’s no destruction, no people in need. You can see in the faces of people that times have been hard, but they lived with it and made the best out of it and now things are getting better again. There are no monsters around and the most dangerous things are wild animals.“

He turned towards Michael with something that should probably be a smile but failed spectacularly.

„There are no court sessions or prophecies left to worry about. There‘s peace and we... we can finally spend our time how we want.“

Then why did it sound like an accusation? Like Ray was unhappy with how things were.

„I want to see Hyrule. Not just this side of it.“

„We‘re still healing,“ Michael said and was surprised by how defensive he sounded himself. „We deserve some rest after what we‘ve been through.“

„What‘s the point in healing when we‘re just going to open up those wounds again later?

Ray stepped close to sit down next to him, watching him expectantly. Michael had also sat up by now but couldn‘t quite look at the other.

He was furious and couldn‘t even explain why exactly.

Maybe because he liked it here, because he had spent too much time in the worse parts of Hyrule. How he had searched through ruins of villages he remembered dimly or the time he had found his own home and had spent hours killing any monster that had nestled close by. It was useless in the first place because all that was left of his childhood were brittle stones and rusty shields and swords of knights trying to help. Of knights like his father who gave civilians a chance to run.

Michael was sick and tired of seeing things like that. Hints of other people‘s lives that had been lost among the way.

The overturned carriage that was decomposing on the side of a road. The rotten doll that fell apart once he touched it just a few steps behind and finally a small shoe, overgrown by moss. Just one, the other one not to be found anywhere.

Somehow that had been the worst of it.

It was their fault, that lost shoe. Because they hadn‘t gotten the timing right. He had gotten his powers too early and Ray too late, and even then... even then they could‘ve somehow fixed this. But he had been careless and had been hurt when he was needed and that shoe. That fucking shoe-

Ray touched his arm and Michael flinched away. He didn‘t even want to look at the Prince, not sure what was on his face and who he was angry at.

Mostly himself, because he was the only one he could really blame.

Ray didn‘t let off and reached for his hand. He pried on his fist and Michael took some deep breaths before he uncurled his fingers.

Instantly Ray took his hand between his and held tight.

„I need to see what you saw,“ he whispered. „I appreciate that you want to protect me from that, but it‘s also my responsibility. I can‘t hide away from it.“

One of his hands pressed against Michael‘s chest, and he must feel how hard his heart was pounding. There was anger and fear and the sickness in the bottom of his stomach as he imagined going out there again.

„Don‘t let that stand between us. Let me see what you saw.“

„I don‘t want you to,“ he finally said, and was a bit shocked by how much his voice was shaking. „We can stay here an-“

Ray shook his head and pressed a kiss to the back of his hand.

„I can't force you to come with me but I have decided to go. You can...“

He trailed off when Michael looked up to him. He didn‘t even have to say how out of the question it was to let Ray go alone out there.

The least he could do was stay with him.

There was no reason for Ray to go through the pain of discovering alone what he had done. What they had let happen.

 

* * *

 

 

Michael instantly regretted the new clothes they got for Ray. It was stupid because those new clothes were sturdier, a cloak against the weather on their new journey, but he missed the soft look the Sheikah clothes gave him.

Now he looked like a traveler and that just wouldn‘t fit. Worst of all was the dagger on his hip.

It was necessary in case they ran into any trouble, but that didn‘t mean he had to like it.

He knew he was too quiet once they began their trip, but he couldn‘t help himself. Every time Ray threw him a glance he grasped the reigns too tightly.

He wasn‘t even sure if he was angry at Ray, but he didn‘t think so. Not really.

„I checked on the map of the Sheikah Slate,“ Ray blurted out, and Michael got the feeling that the Prince had worked himself up to speak in the first place. „There are a lot of villages that disappeared, but not all are marked as ruins.“

„In some places you can‘t even tell because there is nothing left,“ Michael said and saw how Ray bit down on his lip. The Prince was obviously nervous about this whole thing but didn‘t back down. Always too determined for his own good.

„Where are we going first? Hyrule castle?“

„Of course not!“ Michael snapped, and Ray stared at him wide eyed.

„Do you know-“ How much it hurts to see your home in ruins. He didn‘t say it, just bit his tongue instead.

Turning around, he watched the path in front of him, but could still feel Ray‘s eyes on him.

„I‘m sorry I’m making you do this,“ Ray whispered and guided his horse closer to him. „But I need to see, Michael. Just knowing doesn‘t help me. I have to see the destruction myself.“

„You feel guilty so you have the need to punish yourself,“ Michael hissed, and Ray froze in place. The hand he had outstretched to touch him fell back down.

„Michael... it‘s my responsibility.“

„Not anymore. You don‘t have the crown, you don‘t need to retake it! Hyrule survived and will... will get back to its feet. It‘s your damn choice to make. If you want to we can live in Hateno for the rest of our lives an-“

He trailed off because Ray had stopped in his tracks.

The Prince looked pained, but shook his head.

„Even if I said so, this isn‘t a fairytale, Michael. We can‘t just live there and be happy for the rest of our-“

„Why not?“

„It‘s just one room, Michael an-“

„We can build more! I can take on some work and-“

„But what about me? What qualities do I bring?“ Ray insisted. „I learned a lot in my time but none of those skills will help us live a civilian life. Do you expect me to just sit at home and... and, I don‘t even kn-“

„You can rest! Goddess knows you deserv-“

Ray shook his head more vehemently now.

„I don‘t want to rest, Michael. It was nice those past weeks but that‘s not what I want. And I‘m sorry that you‘re scared. I am as well but we have licked our wounds long enough now. It‘s time to face the future.“

He didn‘t want to hear that. He didn‘t want to hear another word, and agitated he turned around and rode on. He half expected Ray to call out to him, to accuse him of running away, but the Prince didn‘t. Instead he rode after him, some distance away that Michael welcomed but also feared.

And he didn‘t want to be this angry. He could understand Ray; after all he had been the same in the beginning.

Once the first memories began to resurface and he recognized this strange kingdom as home, he had also traveled more. Places that were strangely familiar but that couldn‘t spark a memory because they were dead and gone by the time he got there.

Simply vanished as if they hadn‘t been there before.

Or the places that he did recognize. Houses he had ate in, slept in - nothing more than rotten walls without a roof.

The castle at the horizon, half caved in and infested with monsters. So pristine in its old days, and while walking through the huge halls there was still the red carpet everywhere. Stinking because the roof above was gone and they had soaked the rain of a century. Some thin as paper and ripping just as quickly and on other places dark with dirt from creatures.

Ray‘s room. Goddess...

The tower was nearly collapsed, holding on through sheer will by the looks of it, and still Michael had to step inside, had to see.

It had hurt him, even though he hadn‘t been in there a lot.

The books and scrolls that had filled an entire wall ripped apart or destroyed by the weather. The ceiling had caved in and crushed the bed beneath its sheer weight.

The lonely picture in front of the dull mirror. Michael had known that it was Ray and his family. His dead mother and Geoff and in the middle a small Ray, the crown still too big for his head.

It had also been destroyed. Michael had hoped to clean it, to just wipe the grime away and give it to Ray after all was gone. But under his movements the paper had crumbled to nothing but dust, and he had sat there, holding nothing but an empty frame, mourning a family he hadn‘t even been part of.

„You‘re right, I‘m scared,“ he said after a while and didn‘t even try to hide how much his voice was shaking. „Actually I‘m fucking terrified.“

„Michael...“

„I‘m terrified of what I know we will find. I‘m terrified of discovering even more of the horrors in place where I decided to avert my eyes before. And I really don‘t want you to go through the same things I had to.“

All those empty places. The faces that recognized him for who he was, blaming him with harsh words, or faces that seemed somehow familiar. Ancestors of figures that he had met before.

Ray had reached him now and grasped his hand. Michael squeezed back tightly, trying to take as much comfort as he could.

„Because it will hurt, okay? It will fucking hurt, Ray and I‘m not... I‘m not sure if I can do this.“

It was hard to admit that. He always had to be the strong one, the one who was born to protect and be fearless but this fight had gone on for way too long and he was tired.

„I‘m sorry,“ Ray whispered. His free hand found Michael‘s cheek and he gently turned his face so that they could look at each other.

„I‘m so sorry, Michael. You had to do this all by yourself and couldn‘t even properly remember what all of that meant. I can‘t even begin to grasp how hard that must have been, but please don‘t forget that it‘s different this time. This time we‘re going to do this together.“

That might be true, but what if it wasn’t enough? Even after all that had happened, all they had been through, maybe they couldn’t save each other from the guilt daring to crush them.

“It’s alright to be afraid. You’ve been so strong for so long, Michael. You can count on me this time around, alright?” Ray offered, and it sounded so genuine that Michael couldn't help but smile.

He laid a hand on top of Ray’s and squeezed.

“We’re both in this together. I believe I told you this before.”

“You did,” Ray agreed with a smile and then leaned close. It was a bit awkward with both of them sitting on horses, but Ray managed to press a kiss against his lips, short and sweet.

“The Sage Temple,” he mumbled when Ray pulled back. “I figured that would be a good start for us.” Because no one had lived there. It had been a place to pray but now it was barely more than rubble. Some of the foundation walls were still there, showing how big that place had been in his prime.

“Let's go there then,” Ray agreed.

 

The Sage Temple, or what was left of it, was in central Hyrule and uncomfortably close to the capital city. The destroyed castle loomed over them the moment they reached the fields and he could feel how Ray fell silent with each step they took.

Maybe this was a stupid idea, maybe this hit too close to home for the Prince, but for now Michael couldn’t think of anything else.

There were other ruins of course, further away. Ruins of villages that Ray maybe had never visited before, but he highly doubted that it mattered. The villages were the worst.

They passed other places by. The destroyed ranch that supplied the kingdom with fresh milk and the Garrison.

A place that Michael had avoided at all cost, even when he was in desperate need of weapons. Surely there were some still in there, good weapons at that, but also memories.

A lot of memories of his years before he became the appointed knight, of people he had considered friends or rivals.

Even now he made sure to keep them far enough away so that Ray wouldn’t be able to see them if he didn’t look too closely.

Not that Ray did. He ether kept his eyes on the path right in front of them or was drawn to the castle in the north.

Michael had figured that without Ganon’s presence inside it would at least feel peaceful, but something about those grand ruins just seemed endlessly lonely.

“I was in the Sage Temple only once,” Michael found himself saying. He didn’t even know why he did say it, he was just nervous and hated the silence between them. “After I pulled out the Master Sword. They came and asked me to pray to the Goddess for protection and good fortune. I was never… never quite good with this whole praying stuff even though my mother raised me like that. It just wasn’t for me, I guess.”

He huffed. “Look at me now. Being the chosen hero to protect the mortal vessel of the Goddess. What a fucking joke this whole thing is.”

Next to him Ray just nodded and Michael also fell silent.

It took a few more minutes until Ray cleared his throat.

“I was there a lot. Ever since I could think,” he mumbled. “I began my training there actually. Praying for hours on end. Often I ate breakfast in the castle and then headed out to the temple to stay there until it got dark. I hated it there. It made me feel like a failure, like I was wasting time and space.”

He pressed his lips together and held one of his hand out without a single word. Michael took it and held on tightly.

“You never were,” he tried to assure him, but knew that it didn’t reach. Not here, in the shadow of a destroyed castle.

“Heir to a Throne of Nothing,” Ray whispered with a look around the vacant field that had been full of life and animals before. “How true it rings in the end. The people were right after all.”

 

When they reached the ruins, he wasn’t quite sure how Ray would react and maybe Ray wasn’t as well. For a long moment the Prince just sat on his horse and stared down at the place the temple had been before.

The attack on this place must have been severe, but Michael had seen this in a lot of places in central Hyrule. It had even changed the landscape.

The ground had given in at some point and was now filled with clear water, nearly like a pond. The last time Michael had been here it hadn’t been as full, so he figured it had rained recently, and maybe that was good.

Like this they could only barely see the foundation walls at some points. Towards the middle there was an old staircase leading up to nothing, a second floor that was sunk beneath.

Ray slipped from his horse and stepped closer to where the ground slopped into water, and Michael hurried to catch up with him.

“It’s just gone,” Ray whispered. “This temple was massive and now…”

“I know.”

Ray took a step forward into the water and suddenly Michael was reminded of the springs. Of how Ray had spent hours in the freezing cold water to wait for an answer.

His hand shot out before he even noticed and held on tight to Ray’s arm. The Prince hesitated for a moment, and then he pulled himself free.

This time Michael let him because he noticed the spark in his hair. It spilled from him the further he waded into the water, shining like a setting sun around him.

Hylia was with them, she graced them with her attention, and Michael followed a bit reluctantly.

The water wasn’t too deep, it barely reached their knees and Ray reached down, disturbing the surface with a touch.

It made the light flow freely, let it climb up the destroyed walls and create a picture of former glory.

Michael looked up to see ceiling, see the painting of legends on them. A hero clad in green with the holy sword and the High Priests in their white gowns.

He remembered setting foot in this temple before and how those pictures had scared him, how heavy the sword had felt on his back.

Back then he hadn’t even thought in his worst nightmares how the future would play out.

Turning back around, he found Ray in the middle of this huge hall. There were three steps leading up to a statue of Hylia, watching over them, but Ray didn’t look at her.

He had turned back around, eyes filled with light and a glow that was jumping from his fingers.

Between them were people, covering tightly packed together to make more space. It was hard to make out, to truly see them because it was nothing more than an illusion, but Michael could hear them.

Some were crying and others prayed, hands tightly clasped and facing the statue, to Ray above, even though there were the horrifying noises coming from outside. Voices of fights and screams of men and knights, trying to protect this place. A mechanical hum that came from the Guardians, just waiting to strike.

There were mothers trying to shush children and lovers who held on tight, wrapped so tightly together so that neither of them had to see.

A laser cut through the ceiling, forcing part of it to collapse and then there were screams, horrible, horrible screams of people hoping for a savior an-

And then it was all gone.

Just ruins halfway submerged and Hylia’s light was fading in the water, a small circle around Ray’s legs before it was gone completely.

“They believed in you until the very end, but you’ve forsaken them,” he heard Ray say, and when he looked up, the Prince had turned towards the statue. It wasn’t as pristine as before, not anymore. It was grimy from age and part of the face was simply gone. The body was riddled with deep cracks and wouldn’t hold together much longer.

“And even after all those years being connected to you, you still haven’t given me a reason why. Why I wasn’t worth of your power before, why you waited so long without even giving me a hint as to which direction to take. There were days I doubted you and even now I do, Hylia. I know that you know that.”

He laid a hand on top of the statue and it wouldn’t take a lot to destroy it, to give it a shove and watch it crumble.

“I would have done anything to keep this from happening,” Ray said and let go, just turned his back on her. “I know that you know that as well.”

He walked towards Michael and he wasn’t quite sure what Ray was expecting from him, but then Ray just slumped against him and Michael quickly brought up his arms to wrap them around him.

They stood there in silence with the water going to their knees and the castle looming in their back. Ray was hiding his face in Michael’s chest and Michael burrowed his in too dark hair. No glow left in it anymore.

It smelled like Ray though, a scent he couldn’t quite pinpoint but one that he had grown used to over the past weeks living together. Now there was also the water around, moss and old stone.

“It hurts,” Ray whispered barely loud enough that Michael could hear it, but he just nodded.

“I know.”

 

They moved further away from the ruins to build their makeshift camp and with night falling they couldn’t even see the castle anymore.

Ray watched in fascination while Michael prepared a quick meal and he couldn’t help himself but feel quite proud of that. Ray was obviously impressed by his skills and didn’t complain about it at all. Considering that before he only had the finest of meals, that was an accomplishment in itself.

“Books?” Michael asked in wonder.

“Yeah. There were so many libraries around but there wasn’t one in Hateno.”

“I haven’t seen one on my journey, but I haven’t really looked out for any,” Michael admitted, and Ray hummed as an answer.

“I wonder how much knowledge was lost…”

“There are schools. I saw one in Gerudo City and Kakariko had a lot of old stuff.”

“I guess.”

Again Ray fell silent. He had been rather quiet after visiting the temple, and even though Michael had tried to lighten the mood somehow, it hadn’t quite worked. Usually Ray always wanted to know about his journey, about the places he had visited and the secret corners of Hyrule he had stumbled into, but this evening it couldn’t quite get the rise out of him.

Of course Michael could understand it.

Their encounter with the temple had left a bitter taste on his tongue as well. What they had seen had been terrifying and all his talking was just his attempt to deal with it.

He didn’t even know why Hylia would show them such a thing. At first he had thought it was some kind of punishment, but now he thought it was rather Ray.

Because Ray had wanted to know, Ray was ready to face what had happened, and Hylia had granted that wish to him.

Such a cruel Goddess.

He wanted to talk to Ray about her, about what Ray thought about her now after he had been connected with her for so long. Surely they had communicated in some way.

But today wasn’t the best for that.

They were huddled close by the campfire and protected by the crowns of trees. It was a nice place and they had watched the sunset together. Now the stars were quite brilliant above them, but Michael’s eyes were drawn to the fire instead.

He caught himself doing that too often, and it always reminded him of the stable from back then. How it had burned during the darkest night.

Today it wasn’t as bad because Ray was here, as quiet as he was. With the fire close by and buried under their blanket it should’ve been easy to stay awake because the cold was still biting whenever the wind picked up.

Still, he was close to slipping off. He was laying half on top of Ray to share their body warmth and could hear to the other’s heartbeat. It was lulling him in, and there was Ray’s hand on his back, stroking in predictable pattern, and each time Michael decided to concentrate on it, it made his lids all heavy.

He hadn’t slept well last night, fearing what they would find out here and it was slowly catching up to him. Not that he wanted to. Laying here he could basically hear Ray think in the destructive way he loved to do, mulling things around and around in his head until it must be spinning. Trying to find solutions and point of views and his own fault. Always his own fault.

Michael tried to break him out of it before but knew it would never truly go away, that it was hammered into Ray since childhood and wouldn‘t let him go.

In case Ray got tired of it or came to an explanation that was too twisted for his own good, Michael wanted to be there and talk him out of it. That was all he could really do.

And still he must have slipped off a little because he startled awake by cold fingers against his lower back. For a moment there was panic in his heart, because he had fallen asleep out here where it wasn‘t safe and something had crawled close enough to get to him.

Then he realized it was Ray‘s hand that had sneaked underneath his tunic, probably to escape the cold. But it was traveling higher, searching for something, and Michael frowned.

„Ray,“ he muttered and tried to pull himself from sleep.

„Michael,“ the other gasped and that was like a slap in the face. Because now he realized how hard the heart underneath him was beating, how downright scared Ray sounded and he sat up.

The cold kept rushing into their little cocoon and Ray‘s hand slipped away but Michael barely noticed. He reached ahead and grasped the Master Sword tightly, eyes traveling around for any foe.

The fire was blinding, too bright for the night and it was hard to see so he concentrated on hearing, wanted to know from which direction they came.

In the end it was Ray‘s hand that fell on him, tearing at his tunic.

„Get it off,“ the Prince gasped. „Get it- Please, Michael! I felt them!“

„What?“ he spat and turned around. Ray‘s words tripped over themselves in utter panic and he was still tearing at him as if he wanted him to- Michael didn‘t even know!

He just caught Ray‘s hands, unwrenched them from his tunic and stared at the Prince.

„What are you talking about?“ he asked, maybe a bit too harsh but that at least that seemed to finally get through to the Prince.

„Get your tunic off,“ Ray said after taking a deep breath.

„What the fuck, Ray?“ he spluttered, still a bit too sleepy to be embarrassed. Then it dawned to him that Ray wasn‘t kidding him, he was dead serious and when Michael didn‘t move, Ray tore to get his hands free and do it himself.

„What the fuck is going on?“ he asked and held on tight, even shook Ray a bit to get some sense into him.

„You‘re scarred!“ Ray spat, and Michael frowned. Of course he was! But then he remembered Ray‘s searching hands on his back and his blood ran cold.

Of course he had scars from his battles, even from before, from training or being roughened up a bit. Faint white slashes on his arms and legs and one that hadn‘t been so fun on his shoulder.

More had come now from his countless battles. A strange discolored patch on his side where the Guardian had gotten him a hundred years ago, a slash over his stomach that had bled like a bitch, and one formed like a star where a fire arrow had hit his arm.

The worst were on his back though.

The blast from the Guardian they had barely avoided had burned his back horribly. It was what had nearly killed him and he didn‘t remember much after it happened, just bits and pieces and Ray. Always Ray, because he had left him behind, had finally collapsed under the pain.

Now his back was a mess of scars. Angry red and raised skin with a deep ache in them once the weather started to change.

And he couldn't pretend not to be self conscious about them, because he had made sure that nobody saw them if he could help it, least of all Ray. But now he must have noticed somehow and Michael was fucking scared by that. He couldn‘t even really tell why because Ray must have known about that, and now he felt frozen, didn‘t know what to say.

Ray freed himself from his grasp and again ripped at his tunic, trying to pull it over his head. Michael moved as if he was in trance and barely managed to take a hold on Ray‘s shoulders and push him away.

„Don-“ he began but felt his words die on his tongue. There were tears in Ray‘s eyes, angry and hurt tears as he stared up to him.

„I don‘t understand,“ Ray whined. „You were healed! You were at the Shrine for so long and still-“

„I am healed,“ Michael whispered, confused.

„You got these scars protecting me! I hoped... I hoped they would all be gone! I hoped you could forget those awful days but it‘s... it‘s right there!“ Ray sobbed and quickly hid his face behind his hands. „Everything that happened- everything I‘ve caused-“

Michael stared at him helplessly, eerily reminded of the last time he had seen Ray cry, the only time because the Prince didn‘t cry, never. He kept it all bottled up and Michael didn‘t know what to do, didn‘t know where this came from.

He tried pull him in and hold him tight, to comfort him in some way, but Ray shook his hands off and turned bodily away as if he was disgusted with him.

„Hyrule is in ruins!“ Ray cried out. „This whole kingdom is barely holding together and the people are so drifted apart, hiding away in safe corners because everything else is rotten and dangerous. All because I wasn‘t good enough, because I couldn‘t get these fucking powers! How many families were ripped apart? How many generations just disappeared? There were... there were so many children in that temple, praying for protection. For the light of the Goddess to protect them, and I just wasn‘t fast enough. They died, all of them died in there.“

„Ray-“ Michael tried to interrupt him because he didn‘t want to hear it, didn‘t want to think about it.

„Everyone I‘ve known and loved died on that day,“ Ray just went on, knuckles white from where he gripped his hair too tightly. „All because of me, all because I am a fucking failure! And the only person that‘s left, the only one still with me through this all even though I don‘t deserve this, I don‘t deserve you, you ju-“

Michael pulled him in and crushed him against his chest even though Ray was struggling, was trying to throw him off. He wouldn‘t let that happen, no matter how loud the other sobbed, because he didn‘t know what else to do, how else to comfort. He felt horribly helpless in this situation because words wouldn‘t help. Ray wouldn‘t listen because all those people had always seen him as the scapegoat, the one who didn‘t fulfill his destiny and would bring ruin to this kingdom.

To some degree it was true, and that was the worst of it.

„It was Hylia‘s fault,“ he tried half heartedly, but Ray shook his head violently. He still had his hands pressed against his eyes but at least stopped his struggling.

„Maybe I wasn‘t ready to be a host,“ he cried. „Maybe I didn‘t believe enough, didn‘t train properly or doubted Hylia too much. Maybe I just wasn't cut out for it, but it‘s my fault. It‘s all my fault an-“

He broke off with a choking sob and Michael squeezed him tighter. He didn‘t know what to do, had never been good at it and now he could feel his own tears burn in his eyes.

Always so damn helpless, always too late and never enough.

„Then we‘re both at fault,“ he whispered. „Neither of us got the timing right.“

Ray cried out and buried his face in Michael‘s chest. His arms flew up, wrapping around his middle to come closer.

„I‘m so sorry,“ Ray sobbed, and when the Prince looked up at him, there were tears in his lashes. In the little light they had they looked like small diamonds.

„You didn't deserve this. You fulfilled your destiny and because of me you got those scars and lost a hundred years and eve-“

„You didn‘t deserve this either,“ Michael tried to shush him but his own voice was heavy. „Neither of us deserved this. We were just kids.“

Ray stared up at him, but he didn‘t believe him. Of course not. Michael wasn‘t sure if the other ever would.

 

When they continued on the next day, Ray was even quieter than usual. He didn‘t ask where they were heading to next, didn‘t even check on the Slate to watch on the map. He just kinda kept his gaze forward, eyes red and dry.

Neither of them had slept well that past night, not after what had happened.

Michael himself found no words, nothing to cut through the heavy tension between them. Most of all he felt self-conscious of his scars, of the time Ray would actually see them. The Prince had reacted so badly just hearing about them and deep inside Michael knew that it wasn‘t because they were ugly or repulsive. It was just the fact that they were there, that he had gotten them while protecting Ray, but that didn‘t help much.

Ray hadn‘t really touched him since yesterday, had kept his distance as if he was toxic, or maybe, just maybe because Michael disgusted him. Littered with scars like he was.

It was stupid anyway, whatever they had here.

He was in love with Ray, easy as that, and he‘d like to think that it was the same with the Prince. But Ray needed an heir, something Michael couldn‘t give him, so why even pretend?

It would end in heartbreak anyway.

He shook his head and didn‘t want to think about this anymore. He was just tired and sad and the days had been too long.

They‘d figure things out one at a time.

They rode through a good part of the day without a word and when Michael finally stopped, Ray didn‘t even react. Maybe he thought he had to pee or something because even though Michael slipped from his horse, Ray made no move to do so as well.

Granted, they were in the middle of nowhere. No villages, no ruins anywhere, not even a stable. Just a trampled path between higher mountains.

„You coming?“ Michael asked, and Ray looked up, confused. Then his eyes wandered, searching for the purpose of this place or maybe to orient himself.

Michael was already walking up the steep path of one of the mountains around and stopped now to hold his hand out. It would be a hard climb but he had done it before.

„What are we doing here?“ Ray asked and had to clear his throat right away.

„You will see. Come now, it‘s a bit of a long walk.“

Ray hesitated for a moment longer but then slipped from his horse. He took Michael‘s hand even though he had feared the Prince wouldn‘t but then he just pulled him up and walked ahead.

„Stay close by,“ he told him and laced their fingers together. „It gets a bit harder when we come to the steep parts.“

Ray threw him another glance, obviously hoping for an explanation that didn‘t come, but didn‘t protest.

It was a hard climb, just like he remembered, but he was used to that by now. Still, they had to pause to catch their breath and Ray slowed him down as well, which was to be expected because the Prince wasn‘t as trained as him. So he boosted him up ledges and held him steady, never letting go.

The exercise helped loosen their tongues, even if they just talked about the way, where to look out for, and what they could see from so far up. The animals and plants, herbs that Ray examined closely before taking some.

It was good to focus on the now and not on the past or future.

„Nearly there,“ Michael grunted and jumped up a wall to grasp the ledge and pull himself up. Beneath him Ray looked up impressed, just like he had done for most of their climb, and Michael couldn't help but be very pleased with himself for that.

Reaching down, he offered his hand again and Ray grasped it tightly, bracing himself against the wall as he was pulled up. Once he was up on the ledge, Ray‘s eyes widened.

They weren‘t all the way at the top, not yet but very close. Here though was the first stop Michael wanted to make.

„What is this place?“ Ray asked breathlessly, and Michael wasn‘t sure if that was because of the climb or the beauty of this place.

„Mount Satori,“ he explained and sat down right where he was. His muscles ached but in a good way.

In front of them was a little pond, maybe going to their ankles at the deepest point. Behind that stood a lonely tree with a huge crown. It carried tiny pink petals, a million of them, and with each gust of wind it would lose some.

The ground around was stained pink with them and they floated on the surface of the pond like tiny little ships.

„A Sakura tree,“ Ray mumbled and also sat down. „I‘ve never seen one before.“

„It‘s the only one I found in Hyrule,“ Michael explained. „Kinda stumbled upon it actually.“

„What were you doing up here?“

Michael fell silent before laughing a bit awkwardly. „It‘s probably... probably stupid, but this mountain glows sometimes. I only ever saw it from afar and once I get here it always stopped. I haven‘t quite figured it out yet.“

Ray stared at him, and there was the familiar spark in his eyes. He was curious, his head already trying to figure out the secret behind it, and Michael smiled.

„I‘m getting quite hungry. Figured we could have lunch here. It‘s quite a nice place.“

„It is,“ Ray mumbled and got back on his feet.

While Michael prepared their rather late lunch, he watched form the corner of his eye how Ray investigated the tree. There were already petals stuck to his clothes and in his hair but he didn‘t seem to notice.

„Silent Princesses,“ he heard him say, and sure enough there were a couple growing around the pond.

Ray crouched down to take a closer look and Michael was reminded to one of those rare free days they had. How Ray had taken him out and behind the castle. That field of his childhood where they had spent most of the day, hunting for insects to capture with the Sheikah Slate.

That single Silent Princess and how fascinated Ray had been with it.

Now he touched it just as gently as back then and Michael couldn‘t help but say, „Go ahead and pluck it. They‘re not endangered anymore. There are fields with thousands of them around.“

Ray considered it for a moment but then shook his head.

„There is no reason to. If I take it it will wither, all because I was too greedy. I can watch it just fine like it is.“

„I never dared to get one either,“ Michael admitted. „Even when I found a field of them I would make sure to go around. I always had the feeling like you would chide me if I‘d dare to trample one down or something.“

Ray gave a startled laugh and Michael turned back towards their supplies.

The Silent Princess had appeared around Hyrule but not in the center of it. Where Ganon‘s malice had spilled, not many things could grow.

There had been one, up in the castle.

When Michael had stepped into Ray‘s study it had nestled in a corner, growing out from a crack in the wall. Undisturbed just like the room it was in. After the destruction in Ray‘s chambers, his study was like a time capsule. It looked just like they had left it back then, only a thick cover of dust over everything.

He had left the flower right there and made sure to close the door. Maybe one day he and Ray could return there.

Now though, he got up to call Ray, but couldn‘t quite bring himself to disturb him. Instead he stepped to the tree and gave it a heavy shove.

Instantly a shower of petals went down on them, covering them from head to toe, and Ray looked up in surprise.

He looked ridiculous like that, and even though Michael knew he didn‘t look any better, he had to laugh. For a second Ray seemed confused, but then he fell in, patting himself down to get rid of the worst of it.

       

There were petals even in their food, but they blew them off and ate in a comfortable silence. The sun was already starting to set, but that was fine, Michael had planned to spend the night up here where it was safe.

He dusted himself off as much as he could but knew there were still petals stuck everywhere. Ray didn‘t look any better.

„Why are we here, Michael?“ the Prince asked, and Michael just shrugged.

„You asked me to show you the Hyrule I saw on my journey,“ he explained. „Doesn‘t mean I only have to show you the bad stuff, because there are a ton of beautiful places as well.“

Ray nodded mostly to himself before he turned around. Michael expected it when the Prince leaned forward and steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. Ray‘s hand found his cheek, angling him slightly.

The kiss was slow but Michael could feel how Ray‘s pulse picked up from where his thumb was pressed against Ray‘s neck.

It was nice like this, knowing that Ray wanted this as well, that Ray was just as nervous, just as new to this all but also getting used to this. To the closeness of one another.

Michael didn‘t want that to change.

„Thank you,“ Ray murmured when he pulled back, and Michael surged forward to close the distance again. Ray tasted like the fruits they had just eaten, sweet and fresh, and Michael wasn‘t quite sure if he could ever get enough of that.

„We‘re not done yet,“ he admitted when he sat back, feeling how red his face was.

„With making out?“ Ray asked with a cheeky smile, and Michael broke into a grin. That was better than the heavy silence.

„Never with that, but I actually meant our little tour.“ He got up but shook his head when Ray moved to pick up their supplies.

„Leave it, we‘ll camp up here tonight, but we better use the last light we have.“

„Sure.“

Michael took his hand and pulled him on. It wasn‘t that much further to the peak but it was a steep last bit. He lifted Ray up and then climbed after him, always keeping close to him in case he slipped.

When they finally reached the little plateau up top, the wind was surprisingly cold but neither of them really noticed.

Beneath them laid Hyrule and the setting sun painted it golden.

Ray gave a little surprised gasp and Michael held on tightly to him until they sat down. There wasn‘t much space up here, but they shuffled close until it was enough.

The setting sun painted everything golden, even the fallen castle. The center of Hyrule was littered with battle marks and ruins, but also new found paths. A handful of travelers here and there, most likely merchants who headed from one corner of Hyrule to the next.

From up here they could see for miles, and Michael pointed to the blue glow they could see in the shadow of Mount Lanayru.

„Zora‘s Domain,“ he explained gladly. „They repaired whatever damage was done during the attack and even expanded. Jack‘s father is still on the throne, but Jack‘s little sister will become a kind and cheerful leader. I think you would like her and I can only imagine how proud Jack is of her. She wants to hear all kinds of stories of Jack and I never got around to telling her all I know.“ He laughed even though it hurt, but somehow it was a good pain, cathartic in a strange way.

„Death Mountain mostly got away fine. The Gorons were too high up and we believe that the Guardians couldn‘t withstand the temperature for long. They still had to deal with the other creatures Ganon threw at them, but you know how they are - fierce and loyal and protective of what is theirs.“

He nudged Ray. „We totally have to go there, I tell you! They have carved like this massive face of Jeremy in the mountain and of course I didn‘t say a thing, but it looks super awkward. Jeremy would be so embarrassed!“

Ray smiled and leaned his head against Michael‘s shoulder.

„Tell me more?“ he asked, and of course he would. He would do whatever Ray wanted.

„The village of the Orni got some heavy damage I believe, but they rebuilt. They put a lot of Guardians down with their bows and now it‘s nearly as peaceful as before. Oh, and the Gerudos fought like maniacs! There are so many stories of their fierce warriors! They got pretty lucky themselves because the desert slowed the Guardians down and damaged them somehow. They had some problems with the Yiga though, but we figured it out.“

He fell silent, unsure of where to continue. Next to him Ray reached down to entwine their hands, and then he knew.

„Up in Akala is a new town. They built it during my journey,“ he explained. „It‘s up on a cliff over the lake and everyone can live there. There are Gerudos and Gorons and just... just everyone lives together. We absolutely have to visit it.“

„That sounds great,“ Ray muttered, and Michael turned to him.

„Hyrule is rebuilding, it‘s healing,“ he told him. „And they still believe in Hylia, they don‘t blame her. There‘s a statue of her in all these places.“

Ray nodded, and they watched the kingdom for a bit longer.

Night was falling now and slowly Ray sat up, eyes wide.

With the darkness came light. Torches that lit up distant villages and towns. Flickering stars and the magical blue glow of Zora‘s Domain.

Not even central Hyrule was completely dark, there were specks here and there. Travelers who lit a fire like they had done last night.

Signs of life.

Ray watched attentively, trembling next to him, but all Michael did was squeeze his hand tighter. The Prince was thinking, was trying to work through what he was seeing and the longer he watched, the more lights appeared.

Up here where the wind was cold, it nearly felt disorientating. As if the stars and skies weren‘t only above them but also beneath.

„I love this kingdom,“ Ray whispered. „I always have and I think I always will. It‘s beautiful and endless and there are wonders around every corner, but I‘m also proud. Proud of the strength and courage of this place. Even after all of this happened nobody gave up. They helped each other and fought bravely, waiting for the day Ganon would disappear. That day has finally come.“

He turned to Michael, eyes dark and earnest and he already knew what Ray‘s answer would be.

„Now it‘s time to rebuild and time to heal,“ Ray told him. „We have to organize this and make sure we build homes for everyone. The castle and the town around - I don‘t want it to loom over this all like a nightmare. I want it to be reborn, a sign that we have won, a sign to show how strong this kingdom is.“

He smiled, so sure of himself that it eased Michael‘s heart.

„I‘ll take the crown again. I‘ll lead this kingdom into a golden age. I know that it‘s the only right path for me to go.“

„And I‘ll be with you, no matter what happens,“ Michael promised and lifted their entwined hands to press a kiss to Ray‘s fingers.

„Let‘s rebuild Hyrule.“

  


The End.

 

* * *

 

 

All art by the amazing Sarah, you can find it here:

 

[1.)](https://fake-ah-crevv.tumblr.com/post/172905935631/art-dump-13-for-kahnah23s-light-a-fire-laf-is)

[2.)](https://fake-ah-crevv.tumblr.com/post/172906018756/art-dump-33-for-kahnah23s-light-a-fire)

[3.)](https://fake-ah-crevv.tumblr.com/post/172905985241/art-dump-23-for-kahnah23s-light-a-fire-the)

**Author's Note:**

> This was Sarah's birthday present because her love for Throne of Nothing keeps me alive. She even got the game and everything - so just a little something to appreciate her support!  
> (Also I'm still freaking in love with this game, so gorgeus and the new dlc just made me fall in love with it all over again. Nintendo, I need an after story asap!)
> 
> So I guess that's my own take on what happens after the fight with Ganon - inspired by the song 'Light A Fire' by Rachel Taylor


End file.
